Who this is for

This page is for independent professionals working on contracts and projects across Birmingham: IT and engineering contractors, freelance designers and writers, consultants, and specialists who invoice clients rather than draw a salary. It suits people deciding how to set themselves up, and those already trading who want the company or Self Assessment side handled and the pay-yourself question answered properly. If you move between clients and want your finances to keep pace, this is aimed at you.

How we help contractors and freelancers

We match the structure to the way you work, then keep it running cleanly. If a limited company suits you, we look after the company accounts and the Corporation Tax within your Company Tax Return, and keep your salary and dividend records straight. If you trade as a sole trader, we keep it simpler and focus on an accurate Self Assessment return. Either way, we help you claim the expenses that genuinely qualify and explain how the off-payroll rules sit alongside your accounts, while pointing you to a specialist for a formal status opinion on any given contract.

What’s included

  • Advising whether a limited company or sole trader setup fits your work
  • Preparing company accounts and Corporation Tax where you trade through a company
  • Keeping salary and dividend records, including dividend vouchers
  • Preparing and filing your personal Self Assessment return
  • Reviewing which contracting expenses genuinely qualify under your structure
  • Explaining the general off-payroll framework and how it affects your accounts
  • Signposting a specialist for formal IR35 status opinions on specific contracts
  • Keeping your company and personal tax positions aligned

Common questions we hear

The questions contractors and freelancers bring us most are whether to incorporate, how to pay themselves, what they can claim, and where the off-payroll rules leave them. We are happy to explain the framework and handle the accounting cleanly around it, and we are equally clear about where our role ends: a formal opinion on whether a particular contract falls inside IR35 is specialist territory, and we will point you to the right expert rather than guess.

Serving Birmingham and the Midlands

We support contractors and freelancers across Birmingham and the wider Midlands through cloud accounting software, so invoices, records and approvals move without paper wherever your current contract takes you. The remote-first setup means your accounts keep pace as you switch clients or sites, and we can jump on a call whenever a decision needs talking through.

Common questions

Should I work through a limited company or as a sole trader?

It depends on your rate, your clients, how the off-payroll rules apply to your contracts and how much admin you want. A company can suit ongoing contract work and separates your liability, while sole trader status is simpler to run. We look at how you actually work before recommending a route rather than assuming a company is always best.

How do IR35 and the off-payroll rules affect me?

They determine whether a contract is treated as employment for tax, which changes how you are paid and taxed. Status turns on the specific terms and working practices of each engagement. We can explain the general framework and how it interacts with your accounts, but for a formal status opinion on a particular contract we would point you to a specialist in that area.

If I run a company, how should I pay myself?

Most contractors take a mix of a modest salary and dividends, but dividends can only come from company profit and need proper records. The right balance depends on your profits and your other income. We keep the dividend paperwork in order and talk through the split rather than applying a fixed formula.

Which expenses can I claim as a contractor?

Broadly, costs incurred for the business, such as certain travel, equipment, software and professional costs, with care around anything that has personal use. The rules differ depending on your structure and whether a contract falls inside the off-payroll rules. We review your real costs and tell you what genuinely qualifies.

Do I still need to do a Self Assessment if I have a company?

Often yes. As a director drawing dividends you will usually have personal income to report through Self Assessment, even though the company files its own returns. We handle both sides so your company and personal positions line up and nothing is reported twice or missed.