Average cost of hiring an Accountant in the UK: A complete guide

How much does an Accountant cost in the UK?

If you’re looking to hire an Accountant in the UK, it really comes down to salary, and experience plays a big part. On average, you’re looking at around £2,500 to £4,000 per month, with junior hires at the lower end and more experienced professionals (the ones who’ve seen it all) towards the top.

If you are just looking to hire someone for one-off tasks, hourly rates typically range from £50 to £150+. Fixed fees for services like annual accounts or tax returns can cost £150 to £1,500+.  

Common ways Accountants charge

So, you’re ready to hire an Accountant - but how do they actually charge? Well, there isn’t just one way. It depends on how much help you need and how often you’ll be knocking on their door.

1. A dedicated employee

This is the most hands-on option. You bring someone into your team full-time (or part-time), and they handle everything from daily bookkeeping to reporting and compliance.

Best suited for:

• Growing businesses with regular financial activity  

• Companies needing day-to-day oversight  

• Teams that want someone fully embedded in the business  

It works well when accounting is an ongoing function.

2. Hourly rates

With hourly billing, you pay for the exact time an Accountant spends on your work. This is usually more flexible but can be less predictable if tasks expand.

Best suited for:

• One-off advice or quick support  

• Small businesses with occasional needs  

• Situations where you don’t need regular involvement  

It’s a good starting point if you’re not ready to commit to anything long term.

3. Fixed fees for defined services

Here, you agree on a set price for a specific task, such as filing a tax return or preparing annual accounts. You know exactly what you’ll pay upfront.

Best suited for:

• Sole traders and startups  

• Businesses with simple, clearly defined needs  

• Year-end or compliance-focused work  

This keeps things straightforward, especially if your requirements don’t change much.

4. Monthly retainers for ongoing support

A monthly retainer gives you continuous access to accounting support. This often includes bookkeeping, payroll, VAT returns, and general advice bundled together.

Best suited for:

• Small to medium-sized businesses  

• Companies that want consistent support without hiring full-time  

• Businesses looking for predictable monthly budgeting  

It sits somewhere between hiring an employee and paying for one-off services, offering regular help without the long-term commitment.

Average Accountant costs by service

Right, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. These are the typical service-level fees you’ll come across in the UK.

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Most businesses don’t pick one of these; they end up needing a mix. A bit of bookkeeping here, payroll there, and suddenly you’re juggling multiple fees across the year.

That’s usually the moment people pause and think: “Right… does it make more sense to keep paying per service, or just bring someone in properly?”

And that’s where the hiring decision starts shifting. Because once your needs stack up, the gap between paying for services and having dedicated support becomes a lot clearer.

Hourly vs fixed-fee vs hiring a dedicated employee

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” here - each option works brilliantly in the right situation and feels like a headache in the wrong one.

If your needs are light, hourly or fixed fees will do the job. But once you’re relying on accounting support regularly, at that point, it’s less about how you’re paying and more about whether you need someone properly dedicated to the business.

Quick comparison

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When should you hire a dedicated Accountant?

Here are the moments when hiring a dedicated Accountant starts to make proper sense.

Starting a business

At the beginning, everything feels manageable… until it isn’t.

• Choosing the right business structure  

• Registering with HMRC  

• Setting up clean financial processes from day one  

You can figure it out yourself. But getting it wrong early tends to come back later, usually at the worst possible time.

Becoming VAT registered

VAT is where things get real.

• Regular filings  

• Strict deadlines  

• Zero room for “I’ll do it later”  

One small mistake can turn into penalties or awkward HMRC conversations.

Hiring employees

Bringing people on board? Brilliant. Also… more admin than you’d expect.

• Payroll setup  

• PAYE and compliance  

• Pensions and reporting  

Suddenly, it’s not just your money you’re managing.

Scaling operations

This is where things quietly get complicated.

• More transactions  

• Bigger financial decisions  

• Cash flow that actually needs managing (not guessing)  

What worked when you were small starts to creak a bit.

Let us be honest - Most businesses don’t hire a dedicated Accountant because they want to; they do it because they’ve reached a point where not having one starts costing more time, money, and stress.

Hiring a dedicated Accountant for your UK business - Smartest way to get started!

Hiring an Accountant isn’t just about posting a job and hoping for the best. There’s a bit of method to it. Here’s how to do it without making it harder than it needs to be.

1. Be clear on what you actually need

Before you hire anyone, get specific.

• Do you need help with day-to-day bookkeeping?

• Or someone to handle tax, reporting, and strategy?

• Full-time, or just enough work to keep things ticking over?

The clearer you are, the easier it is to hire the right level. No point paying for a senior when you need a solid junior (and vice versa).

2. Decide your hiring model

This is the big one. You’ve got two main routes:

Hire in the UK (traditional route)

• You recruit locally  

• You put them on payroll  

• They work as part of your in-house team  

Works well if: You want someone physically present or closely embedded in your business. But salaries in the UK are way too high, as you know already!

Offshore hiring (smarter cost play for SMEs)

Instead of hiring only in the UK, you hire skilled Accountants in countries like India, where salaries are lower, but talent is strong.

Now, you could try to set this up yourself… but that’s where things get messy (contracts, compliance, local laws - no thanks!).

Fun fact - The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India alone has 400,000+ members, making it one of the largest accounting bodies in the world.

3. Use an EOR to hire offshore properly

An Employer of Record (EOR) handles all the complicated bits for you.

• They legally employ the Accountant in their country  

• They manage payroll, compliance, and contracts  

• Your Accountant works directly with you, day-to-day  

So, you get a dedicated team member, without needing a local entity or worrying about regulations.

4. Compare costs (this is where it clicks)

Here’s why many UK businesses are shifting this way:

• UK-based Accountant (monthly salary):  

• Executive: ~£2,500  

• Senior: ~£3,333  

• Manager: ~£3,958  

• Offshore Accountant hiring in India (via EOR):  

• Executive: ~£833  

• Senior: ~£1,389  

• Manager: ~£1,991  

That’s a saving of 50% to 67%, depending on experience level. Same role. Same output. Very different cost.

Note: The above hiring costs in India are specific to Black Piano. Learn more about our pricing structure.

5. Hire, onboard, and integrate

Once you’ve chosen your route:

• Interview candidates (just like you would locally)  

• Set clear expectations and responsibilities  

• Plug them into your systems and processes  

And that’s it. You’ve got a dedicated Accountant who actually feels like part of your team.

Let Black Piano find you a top Accountant – With great cost savings!

By now, you’ve probably realised hiring a dedicated Accountant makes sense. The only question left is - how do you do it without stretching your budget?

That’s where Black Piano comes in.

Black Piano handles the entire process, end to end:

• Sourcing and recruitment - No upfront costs  

• Screening and shortlisting - Only strong candidates make it through  

• Employer of Record (EOR) - Contracts, payroll, compliance… all sorted  

• HR and ongoing support - So you don’t have to manage the admin  

You focus on choosing the right person. We handle everything else.

You can expect to receive top Accountant candidates within just 3-5 days. Once selected, they work as a dedicated part of your team - just remotely.

Contact us today to hire an Accountant.

For other finance roles, like bookkeepers or finance managers, feel free to check out our website.  

FAQs

1. How much does an Accountant cost per month?

If you hire an Accountant as an employee in the UK, the monthly cost typically falls between £2,500 and £4,000 per month, depending on experience and seniority.

2. What do Accountant fees usually include?

Accountant fees usually include bookkeeping, tax returns, annual accounts, VAT filings, payroll, financial reporting, and basic business advice, depending on the service level and whether support is one-off or ongoing.

3. Is hiring an Accountant worth it for a small business?

Yes, hiring an Accountant is worth it for small businesses. They save time, ensure compliance, reduce costly errors, and provide financial clarity. This helps you make better decisions as your business grows.