The UK accountant directory
Find an accountant who understands your kind of business.
Compare independent firms and sole practitioners near you. Every listing is matched to the ICAEW, ACCA or CIMA register before it goes live.
Popular:Self-assessment tax returnLimited company accountsSwitching from my current accountantLandlord and property tax
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Every city page lists the register-checked firms we have there, ranked by verified client review score. No firm can pay to move up that list.
How it works
Three steps, no account needed. You choose the firm, and your enquiry goes to that firm and to no other firm.
- 1
Tell us what you need
Pick the job and your location. We only show firms that actually do that work, not everyone within ten miles.
- 2
Compare like for like
Qualifications, software, typical fees and verified reviews sit side by side so you can shortlist in minutes.
- 3
Contact them directly
Message or call the firm. We never sell your details or put you into a lead auction.
How do I find a good local accountant?
First decide whether you need a Self Assessment tax return, year-end accounts for a limited company, VAT returns or payroll, then shortlist local accountants who do that work as a core service. Check each firm on its professional body’s register, ask who supervises it for anti-money-laundering, and get the scope and a fixed fee in writing before you send any paperwork.
The title alone tells you little. ICAEW says that, legally, anyone can call themselves an accountant. Chartered accountant (ACA or FCA) and chartered certified accountant (ACCA or FCCA) are different: those titles belong to qualified members of a professional body. Every firm here is matched before its listing goes live, to the ICAEW, ACCA or CIMA register or, for a company listed from Companies House, to the Companies House register. Its profile names that register, so you can check it on the register’s own directory, such as ICAEW’s Find a Chartered Accountant or ACCA’s Find an accountant.
Accountancy firms must also be supervised for money laundering, by HMRC or by a professional body. GOV.UK explains the rule. A supervised firm will usually ask for your ID and proof of address before it starts, so treat a firm that asks for neither with caution.
Timing matters too. If you are newly self-employed or letting property, you must tell HMRC by 5 October after the end of the tax year, and the online return and any tax due follow by 31 January (GOV.UK, Self Assessment deadlines). A private limited company files its accounts with Companies House 9 months after its financial year ends, and its first accounts 21 months after incorporation (GOV.UK, annual accounts). Contact firms well before those dates, not in the final week.
Know the job already? Go straight to Self Assessment, limited company accounts, VAT returns, payroll or bookkeeping. Want the full list of questions to ask before you hire? Read how to choose an accountant.
Before you hire a local accountant
How much does a local accountant cost?
There is no set rate. Fees depend on the job, how tidy your records are and how complicated your affairs are, so a figure without those facts tells you little. Where a firm has added its fees, you will see them on its profile. Whatever you are quoted, ask for a fixed fee in writing that says what it covers and what would cost extra.
Is a local accountant better than an online accounting service?
Not automatically. A local firm suits you if you want to meet in person, hand over paper records or work with someone who already acts for businesses like yours nearby. An online service can suit a simple return done entirely in software. The checks are the same either way: the register, insurance, anti-money-laundering supervision and a written engagement letter.
Do I need an accountant as a sole trader?
No law says you must have one. GOV.UK's guide to setting up as a sole trader lists the duties: keep business records, send a Self Assessment return every year and pay Income Tax and National Insurance on the profit. An accountant earns their fee when your records are messy, you have rental income or capital gains as well, or you are close to the Making Tax Digital threshold. You stay responsible for the return whoever prepares it.
What should an engagement letter cover?
It is the contract between you and the firm, so read it before you send any paperwork. It should list each service and the tax years or periods it covers, what you must provide and by when, who will do the work, the fee and what counts as extra, and how either side can end the arrangement. If a firm starts work without one, ask for it in writing.
Can an accountant deal with HMRC for me?
Yes, once you have authorised them as your agent. GOV.UK explains that how you do this depends on the tax: for Self Assessment it is usually an online request from the agent or the paper form 64-8, and you must be registered for Self Assessment first. HMRC can then deal with your agent about your return. You remain responsible for your own tax affairs.
Can I change accountant part-way through the year?
Yes, and you do not need your old accountant's permission. Your new accountant normally writes to the old one for professional clearance and the handover information they need. Check your engagement letter for any notice period first, and settle any fees you agreed for work already done.
Is MyLocalAccountants free to use?
Yes, for you it is free. You can search, compare and send an enquiry without an account or a card. An unclaimed firm stays listed as a plain entry; a firm that wants to manage its profile pays once, £19.99 for a verified listing or £39.99 for a featured one. Neither payment changes the order of the ranked list.
Sources: GOV.UK, set up as a sole trader and GOV.UK, authorise an agent.