How to choose an accountant for a small business

Start with what you need

Annual accounts only, regular bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, management information and tax planning are different levels of support.

Ask who does the work

Find out who your day-to-day contact will be, how questions are handled, expected response times and which software you must use.

Ask what is not included

Year-end work, payroll changes, tax investigations, company secretarial work and ad-hoc advice may be outside a package. Get the scope in writing.