Trust Ledger Accounting LtdAccountant for management consultants
A limited company accountant for consultants, for a fixed monthly fee from £79 + VAT
Trust Ledger Accounting works with management consultants and other independent consultants who run their own limited company, whether your field is strategy, change, operations, HR, finance or marketing. For a fixed monthly fee from £79 + VAT, you get FreeAgent, your annual accounts, Corporation Tax return and Self Assessment, and a MAAT-qualified accountant who answers questions within 1 working day.
We are based in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, and work online with consultants across the UK. The practice is run by an accountant with more than 5 years of accountancy experience, including senior finance roles in industry, so we know how the finance teams you invoice deal with purchase orders, supplier set-up and payment runs.
| Monthly fee | Starter £79, Standard £119 with VAT returns and payroll, Complete £150, each + VAT |
|---|---|
| Included in every package | FreeAgent, annual accounts, CT600 and one director's Self Assessment |
| How we work | Entirely online, by email, phone and WhatsApp. No meetings needed. |
| Contract | Monthly rolling, 30 days' notice, no set-up fee |
What consultants usually ask us
- How should I invoice? Day rates, monthly retainers and fixed-fee projects are each invoiced and recorded differently, especially when a project runs across your year end
- What about expenses I recharge? Travel and hotels passed on to a client, how to show them on an invoice, and how VAT applies
- Can I bring in associates? How to pay other consultants who work on your projects, and what to keep on file
- How should I pay myself? How to split what you take between salary and dividends, and when pension contributions from the company make sense
- Do I need to register for VAT? When you must, when it pays to register early, and how VAT works when your client is overseas. See our guide on when to register for VAT
- Am I inside or outside IR35? What each outcome means for your tax and take-home pay. See our plain-English guide to IR35
One long engagement, or several clients at once
Consulting income rarely arrives in a neat monthly pattern. We keep the books straight whichever applies to you:
- A single long engagement with one client, often through an agency or a larger consultancy
- Several clients at once, on a mix of retainers and one-off projects
- Uneven income, with busy months followed by gaps while you win the next piece of work
FreeAgent keeps a running estimate of your Corporation Tax and personal tax, so a strong quarter does not turn into a tax bill you had not set money aside for.
Expenses consultants commonly claim
Costs are normally allowable when they are for the business. For most consultants that means:
- Travel to client sites, and accommodation when you work away
- Laptop, phone and other equipment
- Software subscriptions and research or data tools
- Training, professional subscriptions and business insurance
- A share of home working costs
The rules on travel depend on where you work and for how long, and they change if a contract is inside IR35. We check rather than assume.
Figures worth knowing
| Item | Current figure |
|---|---|
| Corporation Tax | 19% on profits of £50,000 or less, 25% above £250,000, marginal relief in between |
| Dividend allowance | £500 a year |
| Dividend tax rates, 2026 to 2027 | 10.75% basic rate, 35.75% higher rate, 39.35% additional rate |
| VAT registration threshold | Taxable turnover over £90,000 in 12 months |
| Flat Rate Scheme, limited cost business | 16.5% of VAT-inclusive turnover |
Sources: GOV.UK pages on Corporation Tax rates, tax on dividends and the VAT Flat Rate Scheme.
A consultant who buys very little apart from their own time often counts as a limited cost business, so we check the numbers before you join the Flat Rate Scheme.
What is included
- A full FreeAgent subscription, with bank feeds, invoicing and receipt capture from your phone
- Year-end company accounts and Corporation Tax return, filed for you
- Your own Self Assessment return
- Quarterly VAT returns and payroll on the Standard and Complete packages
- Answers from a MAAT-qualified accountant, by email on Starter and by phone as well on Complete
What we do not do
We do not carry out formal IR35 contract reviews or audits. Both are specialist work, and we can point you to someone who does them. Everything else your company needs to stay compliant is covered.
Switching to us is free: we contact your previous accountant for the handover and bring across your opening balances. See the pricing page for full details, or our wider page for contractors and freelancers.
Figures checked against GOV.UK and last updated on .
Enquire about accounting for consultants
Common questions
How much does an accountant cost for a consultant?
Our packages for consultants with a limited company start at £79 + VAT a month, including FreeAgent, annual accounts, the Corporation Tax return and one director's Self Assessment. With VAT returns and payroll it is £119 + VAT a month.
Do I need a limited company to work as a consultant?
Not always. You can consult as a sole trader, but many clients and agencies prefer to deal with a company, and a company changes how you are taxed and paid. We talk through both routes before you decide.
Do I charge VAT on expenses I recharge to a client?
If you are VAT-registered, costs you incur yourself and pass on, such as travel and hotels, normally carry VAT on your invoice in the same way as your fee. We check how each kind of cost should be treated.
Does IR35 apply to consultants?
It can. IR35 looks at each contract and how you actually work, not at your job title. A consultant delivering a defined project for several clients is in a different position from one filling a role inside a single client for a long period.
I am leaving employment to start consulting. Can you help me set up?
Yes. We guide new consultants through what a limited company has to file in its first year, set up FreeAgent, and explain how to pay yourself from day one.
Do you work with consultants outside Manchester?
Yes. We are based in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, and work with consultants across the UK entirely online.