Bookkeeping & Annual Accounts in Glasgow
Bookkeeping keeps your financial records accurate month to month. Annual accounts turn those records into the statutory report every UK limited company must file with Companies House and HMRC. QA FinTax does both for Glasgow businesses on a fixed monthly fee, so your filings are accurate and never late.
Most business owners do not fall behind because they are careless. They fall behind because bookkeeping is the first thing to slip when work gets busy, and by the time the year end arrives the records are a year of guesswork. We keep your books current every month, which means your year-end accounts become a formality rather than a fire drill — and you always know what your tax bill is going to be.
What Our Year-End Accounts & Bookkeeping Service Includes
- Statutory accounts prepared and filed with Companies House
- Weekly or monthly bookkeeping in Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent
- Bank reconciliation and receipt capture (Dext / Hubdoc)
- Balance sheet, profit & loss and cash flow reporting
- A named UK bookkeeper you can actually phone
What Must Your Annual Accounts Include?
Every UK limited company must prepare annual accounts from its bookkeeping records. What you file depends on your size. Most Glasgow small companies and micro-entities file abridged accounts under FRS 105 or FRS 102, which keeps the amount of detail on the public record to a minimum.
- A profit and loss account showing income and expenditure for the year
- A balance sheet showing what the company owns and owes on the last day of the year
- Notes to the accounts explaining the figures and accounting policies used
- A director's report — required for larger companies, not for micro-entities
- Accounts prepared under FRS 102, or FRS 105 if you qualify as a micro-entity
When Must You File Your Annual Accounts?
Two different bodies want two different things on two different deadlines, and this is where companies get caught out. Companies House wants your accounts. HMRC wants your accounts and a corporation tax return. Missing either triggers an automatic penalty — no warning, no discretion.
| Filing | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Annual accounts (Companies House) | 9 months after your accounting reference date |
| First accounts (new company) | 21 months after the date of incorporation |
| Corporation tax payment (HMRC) | 9 months and 1 day after your year end |
| CT600 corporation tax return (HMRC) | 12 months after your year end |
| Confirmation statement | At least once every 12 months |
What Are the Penalties for Filing Late?
Companies House penalties are automatic and they escalate quickly. They apply even if your company is dormant, made no profit, or you simply forgot. There is no "reasonable excuse" for most late filings.
| How late your accounts are | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | £150 |
| 1 to 3 months | £375 |
| 3 to 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
What Does Our Bookkeeping Service Cover?
- Recording all income and expenditure, coded correctly for tax
- Bank, credit card and expense reconciliation
- Sales and purchase ledger management, so you know who owes you what
- VAT preparation and reconciliation ahead of each return
- Payroll journals posted to the ledger
- A short monthly summary telling you where the business actually stands
Do You Still Need a Bookkeeper If You Use Xero?
Xero and QuickBooks automate the data entry, not the judgement. Software cannot tell you whether a payment is a deductible expense, a director loan or a capital purchase — and getting that wrong changes your tax bill. We are certified Xero partners and QuickBooks ProAdvisors: we set the system up, connect the bank feeds, and then review what the software has assumed.
- Setup and migration of your existing records into the cloud
- Automatic bank feeds, so transactions arrive without manual entry
- Access to your live numbers from any device, at any time
- Digital records that satisfy Making Tax Digital requirements
Do Sole Traders Need Annual Accounts?
Sole traders do not file accounts at Companies House, but you still need proper accounts to complete your self assessment return — and since April 2026, if your qualifying income exceeds £50,000, Making Tax Digital requires you to keep those records digitally and update HMRC quarterly. We prepare sole trader accounts from your bookkeeping records or straight from your bank statements.
Year-End Accounts & Bookkeeping in Glasgow — Frequently Asked Questions
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Companies House late filing penalties
- GOV.UK — Prepare annual accounts for a private limited company
- GOV.UK — Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
Rates and thresholds are stated for the 2026/27 UK tax year and are for general guidance only. They are not a substitute for advice on your own circumstances.
Ready to get started with year-end accounts & bookkeeping?
Book a free 15-minute review with a Glasgow adviser. We will tell you exactly what you need and what it will cost — before you commit to anything.