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Specialist contractor accountants

IR35, limited company tax, and contractor finances.

We are a contractor-only tax practice. Our accountants work only with contractors and PSC directors, and the guides and calculators here come from the same team. IR35 status reviews, salary and dividend planning, expenses, and pension strategy.

Contractor specialists. Plain English. No hard sell.
~£2k
Modelled annual saving outside IR35 vs umbrella at £500 a day
~2M
UK contractors affected by IR35
6 years
HMRC can investigate past IR35 filings
45 days
Clients must answer an SDS disagreement

IR35 is genuinely complex and the rules changed significantly in April 2021. We help contractors understand their position, structure their affairs correctly, and avoid the tax and penalty risks of getting it wrong.

What contractors come to us with

The financial challenges that are specific to contracting.

IR35 uncertainty

Your end client issued an SDS that says inside IR35. Or your agency told you the contract is outside. Or you just do not know. Getting this wrong costs you thousands in extra tax and penalties. A specialist reviews your contract and actual working practices, not just the paperwork.

Limited company vs umbrella

Umbrella is simpler. A PSC is usually more tax-efficient outside IR35. Inside IR35, the gap closes significantly. Most contractors who call us have never had anyone sit down and model both scenarios for their actual day rate and expenses. We do that.

Director pay and dividends

The optimal salary/dividend split changes every year as rates and allowances shift. Taking too high a salary wastes NI. Taking too low a salary costs you state pension entitlement. Getting it right is a planning exercise, not a guess.

Expenses going unclaimed

The 24-month rule on travel, home office costs, equipment, training and professional subscriptions. Most contractors we speak to are leaving something on the table, either through overcaution or because their accountant does not specialise in contracting.

Composite snapshots

The situations contractors bring us

Composite snapshots based on patterns across our contractor clients. Names and figures anonymised. The tax mechanics are real.

“We reviewed the contract before renewal. Three working practice changes and the IR35 position shifted. Saved us over £14,000 that tax year.”
IT contractor, financial services sector (outside IR35 post-review)
“I had been on umbrella for two years unnecessarily. Once we modelled it properly, moving to a PSC saved around £8,000 in year one.”
Engineering consultant, mid-contract switch to limited company
“Pension contributions from the PSC. I had no idea how tax-efficient it was. Set up in month one, and it will save us tens of thousands over the next few years.”
IT contractor, first year as PSC director

Why specialist matters

A generalist accountant handles your compliance. We handle contractor-specific tax.

The rules around IR35, off-payroll working, PSC dividends and contractor expenses are specific enough that a generalist accountant, however competent, will miss things. We see these issues every week, so we know where the risks and opportunities are.

How Contractor Tax Accountants handles typical contractor accounting areas
AreaOur approach
IR35 status reviewPer contract, against actual working practices
Off-payroll rules (April 2021)Understood for private and public sector
Corporation tax bands19% / marginal / 25% (modelled for your PSC)
Salary and dividend splitOptimised each tax year
Travel expenses (24-month rule)Applied correctly, not guessed
Pension via PSCEmployer contributions built into planning
CEST and SDS adviceExplained plainly, not just the tool output
Professional accountants in a client consultation

Your accountant should understand how contracting works

IR35 rules, PSC dividends, the 24-month travel rule, off-payroll working. We see these issues every week, so we know where the risks and opportunities are.

10
Free calculators
62
Contractor guides
6
Core services covered
7
Guide categories

How we can help

DIY

Use our free tools to understand your position before you speak to anyone.

  • ✓10 free contractor calculators:
  • ✓IR35 take-home (outside and inside)
  • ✓Umbrella vs limited comparison
  • ✓Dividend and corporation tax
  • ✓Optimal salary and dividend split
  • ✓IR35 status indicator
  • ✓Day rate to take-home
  • ✓Guides covering IR35, expenses, pension and more
Open calculators
Most common
Assisted

A free discovery call to review your IR35 position and structure, with no obligation.

  • ✓IR35 status review (contract and working practices)
  • ✓Umbrella vs limited company comparison for your day rate
  • ✓Salary and dividend planning overview
  • ✓Contractor expenses and allowances check
  • ✓Plain English, no jargon, no hard sell
Book a free call
Done for you

Full ongoing accountancy for contractors and PSC directors. Scope agreed after a call.

  • ✓Annual limited company accounts and CT600
  • ✓Corporation tax return and Companies House filing
  • ✓Self assessment return (director)
  • ✓Optimised salary and dividend plan each tax year
  • ✓PSC employer pension contributions built into planning
  • ✓Contractor expenses review and claims support
  • ✓Scope agreed up front, no surprises
Talk through the scope

Common questions

Do I need a specialist contractor accountant?
Not strictly. But a generalist accountant will rarely know the nuances of contracting: IR35 status testing, off-payroll working rules, PSC dividend planning, the 24-month travel rule, or how to use your limited company to make pension contributions. A specialist saves you money and helps you avoid the risks that a generalist misses.
How do I know if I'm inside or outside IR35?
The three key tests are control (does the client direct how you do the work?), substitution (could you send someone else?), and mutuality of obligation (is there an expectation of continued work?). HMRC's CEST tool gives a result but is not definitive. A specialist reviews your actual contract and working practices and sets out a reasoned opinion.
Is it still worth running through a limited company?
Outside IR35, almost always yes, though the gap is smaller than it is often described. Our own published model puts it at around £1,900 to £2,000 a year at £500 a day over 240 days (£6,000 of company expenses, a £1,200 umbrella margin), and at a few thousand pounds a year across most contractor day rates, before accountancy fees. Inside IR35, the gap narrows but there are still advantages: pension contributions via the PSC, the small salary band, and the option to work on other contracts outside IR35. Both get modelled before anyone decides.
How do you work out what a contractor needs?
We start with a short discovery call. What you need depends on the complexity of your situation: whether you have other income, payroll, VAT, or international exposure. We set the scope of work out for you after that call, so you know what is covered before anything starts.

Contractor guides

Practical IR35 and contractor tax guides.

Plain English articles on IR35 status, off-payroll rules, limited company tax, expenses, dividends and pension planning. Written by our contractor-only editorial team, not content agencies.

Free call

Get your contractor finances properly sorted

Book a free call. We will talk through your IR35 position, your current structure and whether there are things worth changing. No hard sell, no obligation.

Contractor specialists only, so a specialist picks your enquiry up rather than a call-centre queue. Scope is agreed up front, and every conversation is confidential. If you would rather write to us first, use the contact form.

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