Online accountants for startups
SEIS/EIS, founder vesting, R&D credits, EMI options, get the structure right before the term sheet arrives.
Certified with the tools you already run on
A generalist keeps you compliant. A specialist keeps you ahead.
We already know where startups win and lose money, so the planning happens before the deadline, not after.
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Raise investment with SEIS and EIS done right
The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme lets a young company raise up to £250,000, giving investors 50% income-tax relief, while EIS offers 30% relief on larger raises. From 6 April 2026 the EIS gross-assets ceiling rises to £30 million and the lifetime risk-finance limit increases, widening eligibility. We secure advance assurance from HMRC before you pitch, so investors know the relief is real, get the share class, timing or trade wrong and the relief can be lost entirely.
Recover cash through the merged R&D scheme
If your startup is solving a genuine technological uncertainty, R&D relief can return real money. The merged RDEC scheme (periods from 1 April 2024) gives a 20% expenditure credit, and loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs spending 30%+ of costs on R&D can use Enhanced R&D Intensive Support, a 186% deduction plus a payable credit worth up to 14.5% of the surrenderable loss. We scope qualifying activity properly and respect the PAYE cap so claims survive HMRC scrutiny.
Reward your team with EMI share options
Enterprise Management Incentives are the gold standard for startup equity. Each employee can hold up to £250,000 of options, and from 6 April 2026 the company limit rises from £3m to £6m of options, gross assets from £30m to £120m, and the headcount cap from under 250 to under 500, bringing far more scale-ups into scope. We handle valuation, the option agreements and the EMI notification so the tax advantages actually stick.
Get VAT and Corporation Tax right from the start
Cross the £90,000 VAT threshold (with a £88,000 deregistration point) and registration is compulsory. Corporation Tax is 19% up to £50,000 of profit and 25% above £250,000, with a 26.5% effective marginal rate in between. We model the right structure, register you on time, and set up Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage so the numbers are clean before your first deadline.
What working with us actually covers
Each line is somewhere a generalist usually leaves money behind. For us it is standard, never an add-on.
- 01
SEIS, EIS and advance assurance
Most early-stage raises start with SEIS (up to £250,000 raised, 50% investor income-tax relief and a 50% CGT reinvestment relief) before moving to EIS (30% relief). The company must carry on a qualifying trade, use the money for growth within the time limits, and not exceed the age and gross-assets tests, with the EIS gross-assets limit rising to £30 million from 6 April 2026. We prepare the share structure, file the compliance statements (SEIS1/EIS1) and obtain advance assurance so your investors get their SEIS3/EIS3 certificates without drama.
- 02
R&D tax relief under the merged scheme
For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024, the old SME and RDEC schemes are replaced by a single merged RDEC at a 20% credit, plus Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) for loss-making SMEs whose qualifying R&D is at least 30% of total expenditure, a 186% deduction with a payable credit up to 14.5%. We separate genuine technological advances from routine development, document the project narrative HMRC now demands, and apply the PAYE/NIC cap correctly.
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EMI and other employee share schemes
EMI options are tax-advantaged: no income tax on grant or, usually, on exercise, with gains taxed under CGT. From 6 April 2026 the company-wide option limit doubles to £6m, gross assets rise to £120m, the employee cap rises to under 500, and the exercise window extends to 15 years. We advise on EMI versus unapproved options or growth shares, arrange an HMRC-agreed valuation, and file the annual ERS return so nothing is missed.
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VAT for online sellers and marketplaces
If you sell through a marketplace, the platform is often the 'deemed supplier' and accounts for UK VAT on goods you import or hold here as an overseas seller. For low-value consignments of £135 or less, supply VAT applies at the point of sale rather than import VAT, and selling into the EU may mean registering for IOSS (imports £135/€150 or under) or OSS. We map who owes the VAT, register you where needed, and stop you paying tax twice.
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Side-hustle and platform reporting rules
Digital platforms such as eBay, Vinted, Etsy and Airbnb now report sellers to HMRC where you make 30+ sales or earn roughly £1,700 (€2,000) in a year. Being reported doesn't automatically mean tax is due, the £1,000 trading allowance covers genuinely small activity, but buying to resell or providing services for profit above £1,000 means registering for Self Assessment. We work out whether you're trading, claim the allowance where it helps, and keep you compliant as you scale.
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CIS for construction startups
If you subcontract in construction, contractors deduct CIS at 20% if you're registered, 30% if not, or 0% with gross payment status, which transforms cash flow. Gross status needs a net construction turnover of at least £30,000 (per partner/director) plus a clean compliance and business test. As a contractor you must verify subcontractors and file monthly CIS returns. We register you, target gross status, run the verifications and file the returns so deductions are right.
From first call to filed
Four steps, one named accountant, no jargon. Most startups are fully set up inside a week.
- 01
Discovery
Understanding your business needs.
- 02
Solution Design
Crafting your custom accounting strategy.
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Onboarding
Quick and easy integration.
- 04
Regular Rhythm
Consistent monitoring and reporting.
Tax guides worth a read
Plain-English explainers, kept current with the latest HMRC rules.
Questions startups ask us
We help you raise money cleanly (SEIS/EIS advance assurance), reward your team (EMI options), recover cash (R&D relief), and get the structural decisions right, VAT registration timing, Corporation Tax, payroll and bookkeeping in Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage. The aim is to keep the tax efficient and HMRC-compliant while you build, not just to tidy up after year-end.
Registration is compulsory once your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12 months, or if you expect to cross it in the next 30 days; the deregistration threshold is £88,000. Some startups register voluntarily earlier to reclaim input VAT. If you sell online or through marketplaces, separate 'deemed supplier' and £135 import rules can apply, so it's worth checking before you assume you're below the line.
Yes, they're different reliefs doing different jobs. SEIS/EIS gives your investors income-tax and CGT relief on the shares they buy; R&D relief reduces your company's own tax bill or pays out a credit on qualifying innovation. Many of our startup clients use both. We just make sure grant funding and the schemes interact correctly, as some grants can reduce an R&D claim.
They're highly tax-advantaged, not entirely tax-free. There's normally no income tax on grant or on exercise (where options are granted at market value), and the eventual gain is taxed under Capital Gains Tax rather than as income. From 6 April 2026 more companies qualify as the limits expand. The valuation, the agreement and the EMI notification to HMRC all have to be done correctly for the reliefs to hold, that's the part we handle.
Maybe. Platforms now report sellers to HMRC at 30+ sales or about £1,700 a year, but being reported isn't the same as owing tax. Selling your own used items usually isn't trading; buying to resell or making things to sell for profit usually is. If your trading income before expenses tops the £1,000 trading allowance, you need to register for Self Assessment. We'll tell you which side of the line you're on.
Without it, contractors deduct CIS tax (20% registered, 30% unregistered) from your payments, hurting cash flow. With gross payment status you're paid in full and settle tax later. To qualify you generally need net construction turnover of at least £30,000 (multiplied per partner or director) plus a clean compliance record. For most growing subcontractors it's well worth applying, we handle the application and ongoing monthly returns.
Fixed monthly pricing at £99, £199 or £499 depending on the support you need, on a rolling monthly basis with no long lock-in, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You get a named, ACCA-qualified accountant and a reply within 72 hours. We work in Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and Sage, so we fit around the tools you already use.
Stop overpaying tax. Start filing in 5 days.
Thirty minutes with an ACCA-qualified accountant. Most owners uncover £1,000-£3,000 in annual savings on the first call. If we are not the right fit, you walk away with a free tax review on the house.
