You do not necessarily need an accountant to keep your company compliant. Here is what you can do yourself — and when professional help is worth the fee.

What You Can Do Yourself

  • Confirmation statement: 10 minutes on Companies House WebFiling. £34.
  • Registered office changes: Form AD01, free, instant. Guide here.
  • Director appointments/resignations: Forms AP01/TM01 on WebFiling.
  • PSC updates: PSC filing on WebFiling.
  • Basic bookkeeping: Tools like Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent handle this.

When to Get an Accountant

  • Annual accounts: Unless you are confident with double-entry bookkeeping
  • Corporation tax: CT600 filing has complexities (capital allowances, R&D relief)
  • VAT: If you are VAT registered, quarterly filing is best handled by a professional
  • Director's loan account: Get advice before your year end

A good accountant costs £800-£2,000/year for a small company. That is less than one late filing penalty.