If you have searched how much does an accountant cost in the UK, you have probably already noticed that the answer is almost always “it depends.” That is not wrong, but it is not especially helpful either. Fees genuinely do vary — by business type, by volume of work, by the service model the practice runs, and by how much a firm thinks it can charge before a client starts looking elsewhere.

What we can do is give you the ranges that are real and the context you need to judge whether a quote you have received is fair. We work with sole traders, limited companies, contractors, and growing businesses across the UK, so we see what the market actually looks like day to day — not just what accountants publish on comparison sites.

The short version: most small businesses pay less than they expect for compliance, and more than they need to for ongoing packages. Here is how to read the numbers.

There is no regulated price list for accountancy services in the UK. A sole trader Self Assessment return might cost £100 at one firm and £400 at another — for functionally identical work. That range exists for a few reasons.

Practice size and overheads. A large regional firm with office space, partners, and support staff has higher overheads to cover. An online-only practice with a lean team does not — and can price accordingly.

Hourly versus fixed fees. Some accountants still bill by the hour. Industry data suggests qualified accountants at smaller practices typically charge between £50 and £150 per hour, with senior chartered accountants sitting at the higher end or above. If your work takes three hours one year and six the next, your bill swings with it. Fixed-fee pricing removes that uncertainty.

The scope of work. A confirmation statement filing and a full set of company accounts with payroll, VAT, bookkeeping, and management accounts are very different engagements. When someone quotes you a monthly fee, always check exactly what is — and is not — included.

Location premium. London-based firms with a physical office sometimes price that into their fees. Online practices serving clients remotely across the UK carry no geographic premium — you pay for the accountancy, not the postcode.

For a sole trader, the main annual cost is usually a Self Assessment tax return. Research across the market in 2026 suggests that around 90% of accountants charge somewhere between £126 and £400 plus VAT for preparation and filing — so there is a wide band, but a genuine midpoint exists around £150 to £200 for a straightforward return.

At Wings, we charge £150 as a fixed one-off annual fee for a Self Assessment return. That covers the SA100 and SA302, income from multiple sources, applicable allowances and reliefs, payments-on-account advice, and timely HMRC submission. No hourly billing, no surprises.

If you also need bookkeeping or VAT returns, those are quoted separately based on transaction volume — because the volume genuinely does drive the cost, and quoting a flat rate without knowing the numbers would not be honest.

Sole traders who are VAT-registered or run a business with reasonable transaction volumes might spend £75 to £200 per month on an ongoing bookkeeping and compliance service. Some pay considerably less if the bookkeeping is straightforward. If a quote feels high, it is always worth asking the practice to break down exactly what the monthly fee covers.

For a limited company, the core annual compliance package — company accounts, corporation tax return (CT600), and filing with both HMRC and Companies House — is the baseline. Market data for 2026 puts accountant fees for a limited company at anywhere from £250 to well over £600 per year for the year-end work alone, with ongoing monthly packages ranging from £75 to £500 or more depending on what is bundled in.

Our fixed fee for a company accounts and tax return is £250 — one-off, annually. That includes the profit and loss account, balance sheet, CT600 and computation, HMRC and Companies House submission, and basic tax planning to optimise the liability. A confirmation statement (CS01) is a separate £70. Dormant company accounts are £50.

Where it gets more expensive is when you add payroll, VAT returns, monthly bookkeeping, and management accounts — all of which are ongoing services that need quoting based on your specific requirements. A small limited company with one director, minimal transactions, no payroll, and no VAT can genuinely keep its annual accountancy spend well under £500. Add VAT and payroll into the mix, and £100 to £200 per month starts to look realistic for a comprehensive service.

One thing we always tell clients: small business accountant fees should be transparent upfront. If a practice will not give you a clear breakdown before you sign, that is worth noting.

Monthly accounting packages are popular because they bundle compliance into a predictable monthly cost. Figures from across the market suggest small businesses pay anywhere from £75 to £500 per month for a fixed monthly package in 2026, with the wide range reflecting very different scopes of work.

A package at the lower end typically covers bookkeeping, VAT returns, and year-end accounts for a straightforward business. A higher monthly fee usually reflects payroll processing, management accounts, more complex VAT arrangements, or a higher transaction volume.

The question to ask is not “is £X per month expensive” but “what would I pay if I bought each of these services individually?” Sometimes a bundle is good value. Sometimes you are paying for services you will rarely use. We tend to recommend that businesses only pay for ongoing services they genuinely need — if your bookkeeping is simple and you are happy to manage it yourself using cloud software, a full-service monthly retainer may be more than you need.

For businesses that just need the annual compliance work done properly — accounts, tax return, confirmation statement — one-off fixed fees are often a more cost-effective route. You pay when the work is done, you know exactly what it costs, and there is no monthly standing order for a service you are not actively using.