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How to start a bookkeeping business in the United Kingdom

Everything you need: what it costs, what you can make, what the United Kingdom asks for, and every step from your first idea to your tenth customer.

Start this business with PressUp

Checked October 2026 In pounds 12-minute read

The prices and costs in this guide are estimates for the United Kingdom: researched US figures converted to pounds by price levels. Registration fees and taxes are the United Kingdom's own.

To start£639–1.6kLean to full setup

Per month£2.4k–8.2kOnce established

Profit margin80–90%After software, insurance and payment fees

First customer2–8 weeksFrom today

DifficultyNeeds accounting basics and care

From homeYesOr you go to them

01Is it right for you?

A good fit if you like numbers, order and steady clients

Most small business owners would rather do anything than their books. As a bookkeeper you keep their records tidy every month, from home and on your own hours, and good clients stay with you for years.

You'll like it if

You enjoy detail and getting numbers to match
You like quiet, focused work at a desk
You want clients who pay you every month
You can keep private information private

Think twice if

You find spreadsheets and software a chore
You'd rather be out and about all day
Deadlines at month and year end stress you out
You want to give tax advice without a license

02What it costs

From £639 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Total to start£639

What	Cost
LaptopAn everyday laptop is enough for bookkeeping software	£480
Software, first three monthsBusiness email, plus practice software to track every client's month	£14
Training and certificationSoftware training, or a bookkeeping certificate course	£0
Registering your businessFree as a sole trader; more to form a company	£0
Insurance, first three monthsProfessional liability, plus general liability in the full figure	£85
Website and marketingWebsite, domain and business cards	£60
Total	£639

Once you're running: about £60 a month, plus about 3% of what you earn. Insurance, email, practice software and your website every month, plus card or bank fees on each payment.

03What you can make

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

Average price per hour £35 £13£100

Hours a week 20 150

Monthly costs £60 £0£240

Typical in the United Kingdom: £25–£50 per hour, 10–30 hours a week once established.

Revenue a month—

Profit a month—

Pays back in—

Your first yearTotal: —

Money inCosts

Side hustle£820–1.4k

About 10 hours a week, 3–5 small clients

Full-time, on your own£2.4k–4.8k

20–30 billable hours a week

With a helper£4.8k–8.2k

A part-time helper does the data entry

04Step by step

12 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1
Brush up your skills
2–8 weeks Up to £210

Learn the software small businesses use and the basics: matching bank accounts, bills, payroll and sales tax. A certificate is optional, but it builds trust.
- Learn QuickBooks Online or Xero
- Practice on a sample company
- Optional bookkeeping certificate
2
Pick who you'll serve
2–3 days Free

Bookkeepers who focus on one kind of business, such as contractors, salons or online shops, learn its numbers fast and get referrals.
- One or two kinds of business
- Monthly books, catch-up work or payroll
- Check local bookkeepers' prices
3
Choose your name
1 day Free

Pick a name that sounds trustworthy and says what you do. Make sure no one in the United Kingdom has it.
- 3–5 name ideas
- Check no one else uses it
- Check the domain
Get name ideas for your businessFind a name
4
Register your business in the United Kingdom
1 day to 2 weeks £0–£100

Most owners start as a sole trader with HMRC; a limited company with Companies House costs a little and keeps business debts separate.
- Register as a sole trader: free
- Set up a limited company: £100
5
Get your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
1–5 days Free

Your business's tax number from HMRC, for taxes and banking.
- Register with HMRC
- Open a business bank account
6
Sort out VAT
1–3 days Free

You must register for VAT once your sales pass £90,000 a year. The rate is 20%.
- Know when to register for VAT
- Keep records of income and costs
- Set money aside for income tax
7
Get insured
1–2 days Quotes are free

Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.
- Professional liability (errors and omissions)
- General liability
- Cyber liability
8
Set up your tools
2–3 days £490–900

Use secure tools from day one: you'll hold clients' bank details and tax records.
- Laptop and business email
- A safe way to share documents
- Accountant access to clients' software
9
Set your prices
1 day Free

Monthly packages based on how many accounts and transactions a client has are easy to sell. See the prices below.
- Starter, standard and full service
- Catch-up work by the hour
- A written agreement for each client
10
Put your business online
1 day Included

Owners look for a bookkeeper they can trust. A clear site with your services, prices and a way to book a call does the selling for you.
- Website with your packages
- Free consultation booking
- Google Business Profile
Describe your business and PressUp builds your websiteBuild your website
11
Get your first clients
2–8 weeks Free

Start with people who already know you, then ask accountants and tax preparers to send you clients.
- Tell friends who own businesses
- Meet local tax preparers
- Ask every client for a review
Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how
12
Bill and keep track
Ongoing Included

Send each client's invoice on the same day every month and see at a glance who has paid.
- Monthly invoices
- Client list
- Year-end reminders
Keep your customers and invoices in one place with PressUpSee how

05Licenses in the United Kingdom

What the United Kingdom asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

Register as a sole trader

You register as a sole trader by registering for Self Assessment.

HMRCFree

Set up a limited company

Registering online. Registering by post costs more.

Companies House£100once

Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)

Your business's tax number, for banking and taxes.

HMRCFree

Anti-money laundering supervision

Bookkeepers who aren't supervised by a professional body must register with HMRC for money laundering supervision.

HMRCVaries

Data protection fee

Sole traders and businesses that use personal information pay a data protection fee unless they're exempt.

Information Commissioner's OfficeVaries

06Equipment

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

LaptopEveryday model, kept up to date

£480–£830Must have

Second screenMakes matching statements easier

£40–£95Later

HeadsetFor client calls

£14–£50Later

Business email and files, a yearYour own address and secure storage

£55–£110Must have

Practice software, a yearTracks each client's monthly tasks

£160–£400Later

07Pricing

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

Starter

£200 per month · Up to 2 accounts

Bank and card accounts matched monthly
Profit and loss report
Year-end file for your tax preparer

Standard

£340 per month · Up to 5 accounts

Everything in Starter
Bills and invoices tracked
Monthly check-in call

Full service

£610 per month · Growing businesses

Everything in Standard
Payroll runs
Sales tax reports
Cash flow report

Monthly bookkeeping fees in the United KingdomTypical: £170–£1,000

Average £310

£0£340£680£1k£1.4k

08First customers

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

Accountants and tax preparers

Many don't do monthly books and are glad to refer clients who need them.

Partnership

Google Business Profile

Owners search for a bookkeeper near them. A free profile with reviews puts you on the map.

Free

Local business groups

Chambers of commerce and networking groups are full of owners behind on their books.

Low cost

Catch-up offers

Owners who are months behind need a one-off cleanup. Many then stay for monthly books.

Repeat income

Reviews

Trust is everything with money. Ask every happy client for a review.

With PressUp Reviews

09Your first 30 days

A month from now, you could be open

Week 1

Set up

Choose your name
Register your business
Get insurance quotes

Week 2

Get ready

Brush up on the software
Set up secure email and storage
Write your client agreement

Week 3

Go live

Website with your packages
Google Business Profile
Set your prices

Week 4

First clients

Call 10 owners you know
Meet 3 local tax preparers
Ask for reviews

10Questions

Common questions

Do I need a license to be a bookkeeper in the United Kingdom?

In the US, there's usually no license for bookkeeping itself. You need a PTIN from the IRS only if you prepare tax returns for pay, and only licensed accountants can call themselves CPAs. Other countries have their own rules, shown above.

Do I need to be an accountant?

No. Bookkeepers record and organize the numbers; accountants and tax preparers use them for taxes and advice. You need to understand the basics and the software well, and know when to send a client to an accountant.

Can I start part-time?

Yes. Most monthly work can be done any time before a client's deadline, so many bookkeepers start with a few clients in the evenings or on weekends.

Should I charge by the hour or by the month?

Many bookkeepers use monthly packages for regular work, so clients know their costs, and charge by the hour for catch-up or one-off projects.

What software should I learn?

Learn what small businesses near you use most, often QuickBooks Online or Xero, and get comfortable with bank feeds, bills and reports.

Costs and earnings are estimates from the sources below, checked October 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the authorities named in this guide. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Sources