Contractor Accountants in Canary Wharf
Limited company accountancy for contractors and consultants at Canary Wharf, including IR35 review, payroll, VAT and personal tax.
Contracting at Canary Wharf usually means a personal limited company, a client who has made an IR35 determination you had no part in, and an accountant who set the company up two years ago and has not been heard from since. That works until a determination changes, a contract ends, or you want to know whether the whole structure is still worth it.
We act for contractors across E14 on a fixed monthly fee covering company accounts, corporation tax, payroll, VAT where relevant and your personal tax return, with the IR35 position reviewed properly rather than assumed.
- Chartered Certified Accountants
- Providing a first-class service since 2007
- Fixed fees agreed in advance
- Free initial consultation
What we do
Accountancy services for Canary Wharf businesses and individuals
Whatever stage you are at, we cover the full range of compliance and advisory work from our office a short journey from Canary Wharf:
Year-end accounts
Statutory accounts prepared and filed at Companies House, with the numbers explained in plain English.
Bookkeeping
Cloud bookkeeping on Xero, QuickBooks or Sage so your figures are current, not six months old.
Payroll
RTI payroll, pensions auto-enrolment, payslips and P60s handled every pay run.
VAT returns
Registration, scheme selection and Making Tax Digital compliant quarterly filing.
Tax returns & self assessment
Personal and business tax returns prepared, checked for reliefs and filed before the deadline.
Business start-ups
Company formation, HMRC registrations and the structure decisions that are hard to unwind later.
Sole traders
Straightforward accounts and tax for self-employed people, including CIS subcontractors.
Compliance
Confirmation statements, Companies House filings and HMRC correspondence kept on schedule.
Who we help
Canary Wharf businesses we work with
Financial services and technology contracting at the Wharf has its own rhythm. Engagements through agencies, with the end client making the status determination. Rates high enough that the difference between an efficient and an inefficient structure is thousands rather than hundreds. Gaps between contracts that need planning for. And an increasing number of people running a limited company alongside inside-IR35 work, which needs handling carefully so the company does not become a liability of its own.
- IT, data and technology contractors on agency or direct engagements
- Change, risk, compliance and project management consultants
- Contractors moving between inside and outside IR35 engagements
- Consultants considering whether a limited company is still worthwhile
- Contractors with a company plus employment or rental income
- People winding down a personal service company cleanly
Why MSCO
Why Canary Wharf clients choose MSCO
You get a named accountant, a fixed monthly fee that includes your personal return rather than billing it separately in January, and a straight answer on IR35 based on your actual contract and working practices — including when the answer is one you would rather not hear.
- Chartered Certified Accountants, providing a first-class service since 2007
- Free initial consultation with no obligation and no sales pressure
- Fixed fees agreed in advance, so there is never a surprise invoice
- A named accountant who answers the phone, not a ticket queue
- We handle the switch from your current accountant, including the professional clearance letter
- Xero, QuickBooks and Sage certified, with in-person or video meetings as you prefer
Local expertise
Local knowledge, not a call centre
The decision worth revisiting annually is whether the company still earns its keep. With corporation tax at higher rates for larger profits, a small dividend allowance and higher dividend rates, the gap between limited company and umbrella has narrowed for some contractors, particularly those working mostly inside IR35. For others, especially those retaining profit or making employer pension contributions from the company, it remains clearly better. The point is that it is a calculation, not a default, and it should be redone each year rather than once at the start.
Local proof
The work we do in Canary Wharf
Two situations that come up repeatedly here, and how they are usually dealt with:
The annual question worth actually asking
Whether the limited company still earns its keep is a calculation, not a default. With higher corporation tax on larger profits, a small dividend allowance and higher dividend rates, the gap between a personal service company and an umbrella has narrowed for contractors working mostly inside IR35. For those retaining profit or making employer pension contributions from the company it remains clearly better. The point is that it should be redone each year.
Our credentials
Who prepares your accounts
MSCO Accountants has provided a first-class accountancy service since 2007. The practice is led by Moshin Miah, LLB(Hons), FCA, FCCA, a Chartered Accountant listed with the ICAEW and a Fellow of both the ICAEW and ACCA, admitted in 2011 and holding a current practising certificate. Work is carried out in accordance with applicable UK tax, Companies House and professional accountancy requirements.
- London clients500+
- Small businesses150+
- Sole traders100+
- Start-ups75+
- Payroll clients50+
- Trading since2007
What clients say
Client feedback
Very professional and friendly team. They have helped me in a lot of ways and now I feel like my business is in safe hands now. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
Sam
Before meeting MSCO, taxes were a headache for me. This company has helped me a lot in all kind of taxes without any kind stress — really appreciate them.
Kamran
Find us
Our East London office
We work with Canary Wharf clients from our office at Suda House, 100 Mile End Road, London E1 4UN — a few minutes from Stepney Green and Mile End Underground stations, on the A11. Street and paid parking is available nearby. Appointments are recommended, and full directions, parking and transport detail are on our directions page.
Common questions
Contractor accountancy in Canary Wharf – frequently asked questions
How do you assess my IR35 position?
By reading the actual contract and, just as importantly, discussing how you really work — substitution, control, mutuality of obligation, whether you are part and parcel of the client’s organisation. Where the end client has made a determination we review whether it looks defensible and what it means for how your company should operate.
What does the monthly fee cover?
Company accounts and corporation tax return, confirmation statement, director payroll, VAT returns where you are registered, your personal self assessment, and unlimited questions by phone or email. No separate January invoice.
I am between contracts. Should I close the company?
Not necessarily — a dormant company costs very little to maintain and reopening is easier than incorporating again. If you are genuinely leaving contracting, there are efficient ways to extract the remaining funds on closure, and the timing and method make a real difference to the tax. Talk to us before you take the money out.
How much do your accountancy services cost?
Fees depend on the size of the business and how much work is involved, so we quote after a short conversation rather than publishing a one-size-fits-all price. What we can promise is that the fee is fixed and agreed in writing before we start. Most sole traders and small limited companies find our pricing sits comfortably against comparable London firms.
How do I switch from my current accountant?
It is easier than most people expect and takes about ten minutes of your time. You tell your existing accountant you are moving, we write to them for professional clearance and your records, and we handle the handover of your HMRC and Companies House authorisations. You can switch at any point in the year, not just at your year end.
Do I have to come into your office?
No. Plenty of our clients we meet in person, and plenty we have never met at a desk at all — documents come in by email or cloud folder and we talk by phone or video. Both work equally well. If you would rather sit down together, our office on Mile End Road is easy to reach and parking nearby is manageable outside peak hours.
Get in touch
Talk to an accountant near Canary Wharf
Our office is a short DLR ride from Canary Wharf on Mile End Road, though most contractor clients work with us entirely remotely.
Visit usMSCO Chartered Accountants
Suda House, 100 Mile End Road, London E1 4UN
Call us020 7790 0793
07958 943459
Email usinfo@mscoaccountants.co.uk
Nearby areas