Fixed-fee accountancy and tax for businesses
Accountants for Businesses in Somerset and the South West
Phinch are accountants for businesses of every size, from sole traders to growing limited companies. We are based in Weston-super-Mare and work with clients across Bristol, Bath, Somerset and the wider South West.
We split our business work into two simple routes. Accountancy keeps your books, accounts and filings right and on time. Tax advisory and planning helps you pay less tax, legally, and plan ahead. Pick the one you need below, or talk to us and we will point you the right way.
- ACCA
- CIOT
- IRS Enrolled Agent
- ★★★★★ 5.0 from 50+ Google reviews
- Fixed monthly fees
- Est. 2016
Choose your route
Accountancy or tax planning: where do you need help?
Most businesses come to us for one of two reasons. Read the lists below and pick the one that sounds most like you.
Route 1
Accountancy
The everyday work every business needs. We keep your numbers right and get everything filed on time.
Choose accountancy if you need:
- Year-end accounts and a tax return filed
- VAT returns, payroll or bookkeeping taken off your plate
- Monthly figures so you can see how the business is doing
- Someone to keep you on the right side of HMRC and Companies House
Route 2
Tax Advisory and Planning
For when you want to keep more of what you earn and plan ahead before a big decision.
Choose tax planning if you want to:
- Lower the tax on your profits, salary and dividends
- Claim relief on equipment, vehicles or property
- Find out if your work qualifies for R&D tax credits
- Plan for selling, restructuring or bringing in investors
Need both? Many growing businesses do. We run them side by side, so your accounts and your tax plan always match. Not sure? Book a free call and we will tell you which route fits.
What do accountants for businesses do?
Accountants for businesses prepare your yearly accounts and tax returns. They file them with HMRC and Companies House, run VAT and payroll, and help you pay yourself in a tax-smart way. A good accountant also spots problems early and plans ahead with you.
At Phinch you get one main contact who looks after:
- Compliance: year-end accounts, Corporation Tax or Self Assessment, confirmation statements and VAT returns, all filed on time.
- Payroll and pensions: payslips, RTI submissions and auto-enrolment for you and your staff.
- Bookkeeping: done for you, or checked by us if you keep your own records in Xero or QuickBooks.
- Tax planning: salary and dividends, timing of big purchases, and the reliefs you are entitled to.
- Figures during the year: so you can make decisions with the numbers in front of you.
- Advice when it matters: setting up a company, hiring staff, buying premises, taking on a partner or planning your exit.
Accountants for sole traders, limited companies and growing businesses
Every business is different. The right support depends on how you trade. We work with all three groups below, and we will tell you plainly if a change of structure would save you tax.
Sole traders and self-employed
Self Assessment, allowable expenses, quarterly updates under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, and honest advice on whether it is time to set up a company.
Limited companies
Statutory accounts, Corporation Tax returns, confirmation statements and a sensible salary and dividend plan for directors. All filed on time and explained in plain English.
Startups and growing businesses
The right setup from day one, cash flow forecasts you can actually use, numbers ready for funding and a plan for what comes next.
Our accountancy and tax services for businesses
Our services sit under the same two routes. Start with what you need now and add the rest as you grow.
Route 1
Accountancy services
- Year-end accounts and financial statements: prepared and filed with Companies House, with a walkthrough of what the numbers mean.
- Corporation Tax: CT600 returns, reliefs claimed and payment dates in the diary.
- VAT returns: registration advice, the right scheme for you and Making Tax Digital returns every quarter.
- Outsourced payroll: payslips, RTI, pensions auto-enrolment and P11Ds handled for you.
- Management accounts: monthly or quarterly figures so you know where you stand.
- Company secretarial: confirmation statements, share changes and director updates.
- Business advisory and planning: budgets, forecasts and a sounding board for big decisions.
Route 2
Tax advisory and planning
- Tax planning for owners: the best mix of salary and dividends, and how to take money out of the business.
- Capital allowances: relief on equipment, vehicles and business property that often goes unclaimed.
- R&D tax credits: a straight answer on whether you qualify, and a solid claim if you do.
- Planning for big changes: restructuring, bringing in investors or selling up, with the tax worked out first.
Most clients run their day-to-day bookkeeping in Xero or QuickBooks with our support. If you would rather hand that over too, we can do it for you.
How much do accountants for businesses cost?
Most of our business clients pay a fixed monthly fee. We agree it before we start, so you know the cost for the year and there are no surprise bills for phone calls or questions.
The price depends on how much work sits behind your business, not how big it feels. The main things that affect it are:
- Structure: a sole trader Self Assessment is simpler than limited company accounts and a Corporation Tax return.
- VAT: quarterly returns add regular work.
- Payroll: how many people you pay each month.
- Bookkeeping: whether you keep your own records in cloud software or want us to do it.
- Specialist advice: R&D claims, share schemes or exit planning are quoted on their own, only when you need them.
The quickest way to get a price is a free 30-minute call. We ask a few questions about how you trade and give you a fixed quote with nothing hidden in the small print.
Get a fixed-fee quote
Tell us how you trade and we will give you one monthly figure, agreed before we start.
Get a fixed-fee quoteOr call 01934 404000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Does my business need an accountant?
The law does not say you must use an accountant, whether you are a sole trader or a limited company. But most businesses find one pays for itself once they are past their first year.
A limited company has to file accounts with Companies House, a Corporation Tax return with HMRC and a yearly confirmation statement. Each has its own deadline and its own automatic fines. Sole traders now face quarterly digital updates under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, on top of the January Self Assessment. Getting the format, timing or tax wrong costs more than paying someone to get it right.
The bigger value is in what you do not miss: reliefs you did not know about, a pay plan that suits you, and someone flagging a cash flow problem before it bites. We answer the most common questions in our FAQs, including whether a partnership or limited company is right for you.
Why businesses across the South West choose Phinch
Local and easy to reach
Based in Worle, Weston-super-Mare. We meet clients in person or online, and your call is answered by someone who knows your file.
Fixed fees, agreed up front
One monthly figure for the work we have agreed. Extra advice is quoted before we do it, never after.
Properly qualified
Our team holds ACCA and CIOT qualifications, and we have looked after South West businesses since 2016.
UK and US tax in-house
We have IRS Enrolled Agent expertise on the team. If you or a co-founder have US ties, you do not need a second adviser.
The accountants who look after our business clients
Accountants for businesses near you
We work with businesses in Weston-super-Mare, Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Bridgwater, Exeter, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Swindon and the Mendips. If you are elsewhere in the UK, everything we do works just as well online.
Key dates every business needs to know
These are the deadlines that catch businesses out most often. We put every one in the diary for our clients, but it helps to know the shape of the year.
| Filing or payment | Deadline | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Self Assessment return and balancing payment | 31 January after the tax year | Sole traders, partners, company directors |
| Payments on account | 31 January and 31 July | Self Assessment taxpayers with a bill over £1,000 |
| Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly updates | 7 Aug, 7 Nov, 7 Feb, 7 May | Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 |
| Annual accounts to Companies House | 9 months after your year end | Limited companies |
| Corporation Tax payment | 9 months and 1 day after your year end | Limited companies |
| Corporation Tax return (CT600) | 12 months after your year end | Limited companies |
| Confirmation statement | Within 14 days of your review date | Limited companies |
| VAT return and payment | 1 month and 7 days after each VAT period | VAT-registered businesses |
| PAYE and National Insurance | 22nd of the following month (paid online) | Employers |
| P11D and Class 1A NIC | 6 July (filing), 22 July (payment) | Employers giving benefits in kind |
Deadlines correct for the 2026/27 tax year. The Making Tax Digital for Income Tax threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028, so more sole traders and landlords are brought in each year. Fines apply automatically for late filing, so if any of these are close, talk to us now.
Accountants for businesses: FAQs
What do accountants for businesses do?
They prepare your yearly accounts and tax returns, file them with HMRC and Companies House, and run VAT and payroll. A good one also helps you plan your tax, pay yourself in a tax-smart way and spot problems before they cost you money.
Do I need accountancy or tax advisory and planning?
Choose accountancy if you need your accounts, tax returns, VAT, payroll or bookkeeping done. Choose tax advisory and planning if you want to lower your tax bill, claim reliefs like capital allowances or R&D tax credits, or plan a big change such as selling the business. Many clients use both. If you are not sure, book a free call and we will tell you.
How much does an accountant cost for a business?
It depends on your structure and how much work sits behind it. At Phinch, business clients pay a fixed monthly fee agreed before we start. It is based on whether you are a sole trader or limited company, whether you are VAT registered, how many people you pay and whether you want us to do the bookkeeping. A free 30-minute call is enough for us to give you a quote.
Do I really need an accountant for my business?
Not by law, but most owners find it pays for itself within the first year. An accountant keeps you clear of filing fines, claims reliefs you would otherwise miss, and sets up how you take money out so you keep more of it. It also gives you back the evenings you would spend on HMRC paperwork.
Can I do my own accounting for a limited company?
Yes, you can. But company accounts must follow a set format, the Corporation Tax return must be filed in iXBRL, and both carry automatic fines if they are late or wrong. Most directors hand this over once the business is trading properly, and spend the time they get back on the business itself.
How do I switch accountants?
It is easier than most people think. You sign an engagement letter with us, we contact your current accountant for professional clearance and your records, and we set up access with HMRC so we can act for you. You do not need to wait for your year end, and nothing gets missed. We explain the switching process step by step.
What records does HMRC expect a business to keep?
Sales and purchase invoices, receipts, bank statements, payroll records and VAT records. A limited company must keep them for six years from the end of its financial year. The self-employed must keep them for at least five years after the 31 January filing deadline. Digital copies are fine, and Making Tax Digital now needs digital records for VAT and, if you are in scope, Income Tax.
Should I be a sole trader or a limited company?
It depends on your profit, how much personal risk you are happy with and where you want the business to be in five years. At lower profits a sole trader is usually simpler and cheaper to run. At higher profits a limited company often saves tax and protects your personal assets. We will run the numbers for you rather than give you a rule of thumb.
Which accounting software do you work with?
Xero and QuickBooks are the two we use with most business clients, and we can set either up for you. If you use something else, tell us on the first call and we will confirm whether we can work with it before you sign anything.
Do you work with businesses outside Somerset?
Yes. We are based in Weston-super-Mare and meet clients in person across Somerset, Bristol, Bath and the South West, but most of the work is done online. We look after businesses across the UK, including owners with US tax obligations.
Next step
Ready to find the right accountant for your business?
Pick your route, or book a free 30-minute call and we will tell you what you need. No hard sell, just a straight answer.
Get a fixed-fee quote for your small business
Tell us a little about how you trade and we will come back with a fixed monthly figure, usually within one working day.
Call: 01934 404000
Hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
Office: 505 Park Way, Worle, Weston-super-Mare BS22 6WA
