Before you register anything, you need to decide how your business will be structured. This decision affects your tax bill, your paperwork, and your personal risk, so it is worth getting right the first time.

Getting this right in the early stages means fewer costly changes later. We would rather help you make informed decisions now than unpick the wrong choice in a year.

Starting a business involves more paperwork than most people expect. We handle the parts that trip new owners up, and it is a legal requirement to get several of them right from day one.

Registering With Companies House and HMRC

If you form a limited company, we handle company formation and get you registered with Companies House. Start-ups must also notify HMRC once they begin trading, since starting to trade without registering is itself a legal requirement you cannot skip.

Statutory accounts and annual accounts need to be filed within nine months of your accounting period ending. Miss it, and late filing penalties follow automatically. We build your filing dates into a calendar from day one so nothing gets missed and your company stays compliant without you having to think about it. Getting registration right matters just as much for start-ups as it does for established companies, since one early mistake can follow start-ups for years, and this is how you stay compliant without watching every deadline yourself.

Setting Up Bookkeeping, a Business Bank Account and Accounting Software

Keeping personal and business money apart from the start saves you serious pain later. We help you open the right business bank account and set up bookkeeping that actually reflects what is happening in your business.

We also recommend accounting software suited to your size and sector, so your financial records stay accurate without eating your evenings. Good financial systems save time and give you numbers you can trust when you need them.

Managing cash flow tightly matters more in the first year than at any other point. Fewer than 2 in every 100 UK small businesses apply for a bank loan, which means most new businesses run largely on the cash they generate, so tracking business expenses and staying on top of cash flow is not optional.

Cash flow problems are one of the most common reasons start-ups run into trouble, which is why we build a simple cash flow view for start-ups from day one. We help you manage your bookkeeping and your cash flow together, not as two separate jobs, so your personal and business finances never get mixed up by accident.

Tax catches more new business owners out than almost anything else. We would rather explain your tax obligations now than watch you get a penalty later.

Self Assessment, Corporation Tax and Your Annual Returns

Sole traders and partners complete a self assessment tax return each year, declaring income and paying the tax owed. Limited companies pay corporation tax on profits and file separate company accounts, and both routes come with their own tax returns and their own deadlines.

We prepare and submit your self assessment tax return or corporation tax return, working out what you owe and where legitimate tax relief might reduce it. Getting your tax returns wrong, or late, brings penalties that are easy to avoid with proper support behind you, and improving your tax efficiency is far easier when someone is checking the detail.

If your tax returns feel complicated in the first year, that is completely normal, and it is exactly when expert advice pays for itself. Before you start trading, getting the process mapped out removes most of the stress later.

VAT, Making Tax Digital and National Insurance Explained Simply

You need to register for VAT once your turnover passes £90,000, though some businesses choose to register earlier for their own reasons. We explain when it makes sense for you and handle the registration and returns once you are in, and we make sure you never miss a chance to pay tax at the right rate rather than the wrong one.

Making Tax Digital for income tax self assessment starts in April 2026, meaning many self-employed people and landlords will need to keep digital records and report quarterly. We get your systems ready ahead of that change, not after it. National insurance and pay for you and any employees get worked into the same plan, so nothing gets left to guesswork, and staying compliant becomes routine instead of a yearly scramble.

A sole trader accountant typically costs somewhere between £50 and £100 a month, or from around £150 for a one-off self assessment return. Limited company start-up packages tend to run from roughly £80 to £200 a month, depending on payroll, VAT registration, and how much bookkeeping you want us to handle.

The price is a rough guide only, and the actual cost varies depending on your turnover, your business structure, and how much support you need month to month. A company with employees or VAT returns will sit higher in that range than a small business with straightforward income and clean records.

We give you a fixed quote before any work starts, so you know exactly what you are paying and why, with no surprise invoices later. If your circumstances change, your monthly cost gets reviewed with you, not silently increased, because a cost-effective service should stay that way as you grow.

Cost is one of the first questions most start-ups ask us, and it is a fair one. We keep our services and our fees easy to understand from the first phone call, without vague language about your finances hidden in the small print.

If you are starting a business and want an accountant who gives straight answers instead of jargon, we would like to help. Whether you need help picking a structure for your new company, setting up your accounting software, or working out your first tax return, Vexo Accounting is ready to talk.

Vexo Accounting offers straightforward services for start-ups that want an accounting partner rather than just a name on a form. Get in touch for a free quote and a short call about your business. There is no obligation, just an accountant who works UK-wide, from your first week of trading through to the year your business really starts to grow.