Accountant for Contractors
Accountants for contractors who already know your world.
Running your contract through a limited company means IR35, dividends, how you pay yourself and a personal tax return on top of the company accounts. Accrue works with contractors every day: a fixed monthly fee, personal accountants who are ACCA & AAT qualified, and questions answered the day you ask them.
- Unsure about IR35? We help you navigate the legislation and get the right advice
- Salary and dividend tax planning bespoke to your situation, not cookie-cutter advice
- Company accounts, VAT and your personal return handled together
- FreeAgent or Xero included, so your books stay current
No long-term contract - just one calendar month's notice. If it is not working, you leave with clean books and nothing owed.
Get a free quote
Fixed pricing. Same-day reply.
No long-term contract. Leave any time with clean books and nothing owed.
What our clients say
★★★★★
Understands Contractors, Saves on Tax
"He really understands my unique needs as an contractor and has always offered the most tax-efficient and cost-effective solutions to my accounting."
★★★★★
Best Thing I Ever Did Was Switch
"I switched early this year from another more expensive accountancy firm who had let me down and it was the best thing I ever did. They are super quick to reply."
★★★★★
Smooth Switch From Another Firm
"Had been with Intouch for about 5 years and they went downhill but Accrue done a really smooth transition and abit extra to get me up to date, even found some overpayments."
★★★★★
Tax-Efficient and Always On Hand
"As a contractor, this company is exactly what I need. Knowledgeable, helpful and very quick to respond to any queries."
Meet the people behind Accrue
Our Expert Team
Real, qualified accountants who look after your numbers - not a call centre. Here is the team you will actually be working with.
Chris Deakin
Director
Ricky Whitfield
Director
Tom Edwards
Director
Greg Timson
Senior Personal Accountant
Rob Holt
Senior Personal Accountant
Finn Austin
Senior Personal Accountant
Matthew Cannon
Junior Accountant
Coral Richardson
Junior Accountant
Ella Godfrey
Junior Accountant
Everything we do is underpinned by three objectives
Wealth
We turn your day rate into the take-home you deserve - salary and dividend tax planning built around your situation, every expense claimed, and your tax planned in advance.
Knowledge
Our personal accountants are ACCA & AAT qualified and handle IR35, PSCs and contractor accounts every day. You get clear answers without explaining how contracting works first.
Time
We make your time the priority - company filings, VAT and deadlines tracked and handled, so you can focus on the contract, not the paperwork.
Your accounts made simple
Keeping track of your finances does not have to be a headache. Three steps and the rest is handled.
Get in touch
Fill in the quote form with a few details about your work. We come back to you within one working day with a fixed-fee figure.
Discovery call
A short, no-pressure call to understand how you bill and what you need. You leave knowing exactly what happens next.
We'll handle the rest
We manage the switch from your old accountant, set up your software and handle the company filings. Your books, tax and deadlines are then taken care of.
Sound familiar?
Contractor tax is its own discipline. Most accountants treat it as an afterthought.
Running a contract through a limited company brings IR35 status, the salary-versus-dividend question, VAT schemes and a personal return that has to line up with the company accounts. A generalist practice files the paperwork but rarely plans ahead of it - and rarely knows how a PSC or an outside-IR35 engagement actually works.
- Unsure how IR35 affects your limited company income
- Taking salary and dividends on a hunch, with no planning around your own situation
- Company accounts and your personal return handled by people who never speak
What sorted looks like
Accrue handles the compliance, but also the planning behind it: help navigating IR35 when you need it, bespoke salary and dividend tax planning, and the company and personal picture seen as one.
- Clear guidance on IR35 and how it applies to you, with a specialist referral for formal reviews
- Bespoke salary and dividend tax planning built around your own situation
- Company accounts, VAT and your self assessment handled under one roof
- Fixed monthly fee, no charge for a ten-minute call
What contractors say
Accrue works with contractors across every field, operating through their own limited companies across the UK. A few have been kind enough to say so in writing.
I have always had great service from Ricky at Contrast Accounting over many years. He really understands my unique needs as an contractor and has always offered the most tax-efficient and cost-effective solutions to my accounting. I highly recommend him.
After being offered a contract role outside of IR35, I did not hesitate in contacting Ricky and using Contrast Accounting. Ricky is super helpful and explains everything clearly, which as someone new to contracting made the whole thing far less daunting.
Three things your fee covers
Compliance handled correctly, tax planned in advance, and your structure reviewed when it needs to be. All through cloud accounting software.
IR35 guidance and bespoke tax planning
If you are unsure about IR35, we help you understand the legislation and what it means for your limited company, and refer you to a specialist for a formal contract review where one is needed. Your salary and dividend tax planning is built around your own situation - never cookie-cutter.
Included as standardCompany accounts and VAT, handled
Annual accounts, corporation tax, confirmation statement and VAT returns - including the Flat Rate Scheme where it pays - all filed on time. FreeAgent or Xero is included and bank-connected, so nothing is missed.
Software includedCompany and personal, joined up
Your company accounts and your personal self assessment are handled together, so dividends, salary and any other income line up. One firm, one view - not two providers who never speak to each other.
Advisory and complianceSimple, fixed monthly pricing for limited company contractors
No hourly billing and no surprise invoices. One fixed fee that covers the company, the director and everything HMRC expects.
Limited Company ACCRUE
£150 + VAT
per month
- Unlimited advice and support
- Cloud software (FreeAgent or Xero) included
- Annual company accounts
- Corporation tax return
- Confirmation statement
- Payroll for up to two people
- VAT registration and submission (Making Tax Digital)
- Director's Self Assessment return
- Second Self Assessment (spouse or partner)
- Fee protection insurance
Limited ACCRUE+
£180 + VAT
per month
- Everything in Limited Company ACCRUE
- Annual company accounts
- Corporation tax return
- Confirmation statement and payroll
- VAT registration and submission (Making Tax Digital)
- Director's Self Assessment return
- Second Self Assessment (spouse or partner)
- Fee protection insurance against an HMRC enquiry
Most contractors run through a personal service company - these packages cover everything that involves. Not sure which fits? Tell us about your setup and we will point you to the right one, with no charge for asking.
A 5/5 record, and contractors who stayed
The themes that come up most from contractors: IR35 handled, quick replies, and switching made painless.
Supported a First Contract Role
“I am so glad I chose Accrue Accounting, especially as this is my first contract role. The team has been incredibly supportive, guiding me through the whole process with clear explanations and practical advice.”
A Breeze to Keep Accounts Up to Date
“The team at Accrue have been incredible with helping me set up and run my business as a contractor in the UK. Greg and Coral have always been around to help in a speedy and effective manner.”
Exactly What a Contractor Needs
“Fully personalised advice and available whenever I need them. Great experience in contracting and all areas. The guys are always there to give spot on advice.”
What separates a contractor accountant from a generalist
Most accountants will file your company accounts. Fewer really understand how contractors work or can help you make sense of IR35 when it matters.
Contractor specialists, not generalists
IR35, PSCs, the Flat Rate VAT scheme and the salary-dividend split are everyday work here, not an annual puzzle. Accrue was shortlisted as a Contracting Awards finalist within two years of incorporation for exactly this focus.
A named accountant, not a call centre
You get one qualified accountant who knows your contracts from day one, replies the day you ask, and explains things in plain English. Reviews mention the same names year after year for a reason.
Switching handled for you
Most contractors come to us from another firm - including the larger contractor accountants. We handle professional clearance and the move, so you do not lift a finger. Clients regularly describe the transition as smooth, and a few have had overpayments found in the process.
“I moved to Contrast Accounting as I felt my regular tax accountant was not personalised enough nor understood outside IR35 contracts. I am very happy with the support that I receive from Ricky. He is totally on top of his game.”
Things contractors usually ask first
Can you help me with IR35?
IR35 can be complex, and we are here to help you navigate it. We explain how the legislation applies to the way you work and factor it into your tax planning, and where a formal contract status review is needed we can refer you to a specialist who carries those out. Our focus is keeping your limited company and personal tax running smoothly. Accrue was shortlisted as a Contracting Awards finalist within two years of incorporation, which reflects how much of the work is contractor-focused.
What does it cost, and what is included?
Fees are fixed monthly and set out clearly before you commit. Limited company contractor packages start at GBP 150 + VAT per month, covering your annual accounts, corporation tax, confirmation statement, payroll, VAT and a self assessment. The ACCRUE+ package at GBP 180 + VAT adds a second director, fee protection and HMRC enquiry cover. Unlimited advice is included - there is no charge for asking a question.
How should I pay myself - salary or dividends?
For most contractors running a limited company it is usually a combination of salary and dividends. Rather than a one-size-fits-all rule, we give you bespoke salary and dividend tax planning based on your own circumstances, and revisit it as your income and the thresholds change - so it stays right for you within the rules.
Is there a minimum contract period, and is switching difficult?
No long-term contract - the service is rolling monthly. Switching is straightforward: we obtain professional clearance from your previous accountant and handle the move, including from the larger contractor firms. Most contractors describe the transition as smooth, and you leave any time with clean, filed records and nothing owed beyond the work completed.
What expenses can I claim as a contractor?
Anything wholly, exclusively and necessarily for the business - typically equipment and software, business phone and broadband, professional subscriptions, pension contributions, and travel and subsistence to a temporary workplace under the 24-month rule. We make sure you claim what you are entitled to and nothing you are not, so the position is correct if HMRC ever looks.
Which software do you use, and is it included?
FreeAgent or Xero, included in your fee and connected directly to your business bank account so income and expenses pull through in real time. We will recommend whichever suits you and set it up - including the bank feed - so invoicing, expenses and your figures are always current. You also get one named accountant throughout, not a different person each time.
Less guessing about IR35. More take-home.
Accrue handles your company accounts, helps you navigate IR35 and plans your pay around your situation - fixed fee and available when you need them. Our personal accountants are ACCA & AAT qualified.