Accountants in Manchester
You’ve got plans.
Let’s make sense of the numbers.
A new client. An extra pair of hands. An idea you’re ready to take seriously. When your business moves forward, it helps to have someone you can talk to about what comes next.
Looking for accountants in Manchester? Swift brings together accounts, tax, bookkeeping and payroll, with agreed fixed fees and a team that takes time to understand how you work.
Your first chat is completely free. No obligation to join.
Keep in touch by phone, video and through our client portal. Meetings by arrangement.
Big plans.
Clearer numbers.
“Really easy to get hold of.”Claire Allwood
“he answers any questions”Bryony Allman
“kept in touch with me”Sharon Parry
“she is very helpful with everything”Patryk Lewandowski
Selected excerpts from Swift client feedback published on our website. Follow the Google link for the latest reviews.
What’s on your mind?
We’re listening.
You might have a quick question, a letter you’re unsure about or a bigger decision to make. Tell us what’s happening. You don’t need accounting language to start a useful conversation.
Pick up the phone
Talk through what you need help with. Let us know straight away if a deadline is approaching.
01244 730 300Send us a few lines
Introduce yourself, explain your question and tell us the best way to get back to you.
info@swift-accountants.co.ukMake it a video call
Arrange a conversation from your desk, studio or home without setting aside time to travel.
Arrange your free chat →Come for a coffee
Meet at our Tattenhall office by appointment, or ask about the possibility of a visit to your business.
Plan a meeting with us →Already working with us? Open your Swift client portal ↗
Know who to ask
Understand who is looking after your work and how to reach the team.
Know what comes next
Agree the information, approvals and updates needed to move things forward.
Understand the answer
Talk through your figures in plain English, with room to ask another question.
Support that fits
the way you work.
Start with what you need now. We can discuss a single return, help with day-to-day records or a broader package for your business, then agree the services and fee.
Swipe across to explore the services →
| Where are you now? | How we can help | Explore the service |
|---|---|---|
| Working for yourself | Make sense of income, expenses and Self Assessment, including the records to keep when project income varies. | Freelancer accountants → Sole trader support → |
| Running a limited company | Accounts, Corporation Tax and company reporting, alongside conversations about your responsibilities and taking money from the business. | Limited company accountants → |
| Needing clearer day-to-day figures | Bring sales, purchases and bank records into a workable routine. Discuss bookkeeping, suitable software and useful management information. | Small business support → |
| Managing VAT or paying a team | Agree support for returns and payroll, with a clear process for the information, checks and approvals needed each period. | VAT returns → Payroll services → |
| Working on contracts or building sites | Accounts and tax support for contractors and trades, including CIS records, deductions and returns where relevant. | CIS accountants → Contractor support → |
| Receiving rent or other personal income | Review your income sources, records and reporting obligations together, including changes in property ownership or circumstances. | Property accountants → Self Assessment → |
From the first brief
to the next busy chapter.
Manchester’s digital and creative businesses sit alongside independent shops, hospitality and professional services. Your working day may look very different from the business next door. Your accounting support should reflect that.
Agencies, consultants & creative freelancers
A full project list is encouraging. It also brings questions about time, costs and when clients will pay. Retainers, staged invoices, software subscriptions and subcontractors can make the picture more complicated.
We can discuss the records and reporting that help you understand your work. Whether you’re a freelancer in Ancoats or running a growing agency, start with how you charge, what you spend and what you want to know.
Independent shops & online sellers
The Northern Quarter’s independent retail community reflects one side of Manchester’s entrepreneurial character. Selling from a shop, a website or both brings practical questions behind every order.
Payment fees, refunds, stock purchases and delivery costs need a place in your records. Tell us which channels you use so we can discuss a bookkeeping routine, VAT responsibilities and the information you need to understand your margins.
Trades & contractors
Keep the paperwork moving while you’re delivering the work. Talk to us about invoices, expenses, subcontractors and CIS, with responsibilities agreed around your circumstances.
Explore CIS support →Hospitality & growing teams
Busy shifts, changing staff hours and supplier bills all need attention. We can discuss the bookkeeping and payroll support that fits your business.
Hospitality accountants →
Busy is a good start.
What do the figures say?
Profit, cash in the bank and money available to pay yourself are different things. Looking at them together helps turn a promising idea into a more considered decision.
- Which work is paying its way? Look at income alongside delivery costs, overheads and unpaid invoices.
- Can you afford to hire? Consider the ongoing employment costs and how they fit your cash flow.
- What can you take home? Review tax, business commitments and the rules for your business structure.
Ask about management information, cash-flow forecasts and tax planning. We’ll agree the scope and fee for the support you need.
Let’s be clear
about the cost.
Your quote should reflect the work you need and the records involved. We’ll talk through both, explain what is included and agree the fee before we begin.
Your first chat is completely free. Ongoing services and any additional work are quoted and agreed separately.
What shapes your quote?
- The services: returns, accounts, bookkeeping, payroll and agreed advice.
- The records: transaction volumes, complexity and any catching up needed.
- The software: your existing systems and any separate subscriptions.
- The process: who provides information, checks figures and approves submissions.
- The communication: who handles your work and how updates are shared.
A fresh start,
with a clear handover.
If you’re comparing accountants in Manchester, tell us what you want to work better. We’ll discuss your existing arrangements and upcoming deadlines before planning the change.
Start with your needs
Explain your priorities, current services and any outstanding work.
Agree the support
Confirm the scope, fixed fee, responsibilities and timing.
Arrange the records
With your permission, we’ll contact your previous accountant.
Find your routine
Complete authorisations and agree how documents and updates will flow.
Swift’s standard switching process is free. Catch-up work and fees owed to your previous accountant are separate. Timing depends on records, authorisations and outstanding work.
New requirements.
Clear next steps.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is being introduced in phases for sole traders and landlords. The first phase began in April 2026.
We can help check your position and discuss software, digital records and the required updates. Tell us how you keep your records now so we can explain what needs attention.
Check your MTD start date
- 6 April 2026
- Qualifying income over £50,000 in 2024/25.
- 6 April 2027
- Qualifying income over £30,000 in 2025/26.
- 6 April 2028
- Qualifying income over £20,000 in 2026/27.
Qualifying income generally combines gross self-employment and property income before expenses. Eligibility and exemptions apply.
Watch VAT as sales grow.
Compulsory registration generally applies when taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 over the previous 12 months. There is also a test where you expect to exceed £90,000 in the next 30 days alone.
Discuss the effect on your prices, records and returns. Special rules and exceptions can apply.
Check the VAT registration rules ↗Separate company money from personal money.
Salary, dividends and directors’ loans follow different rules. Dividends depend on available profits and the required paperwork; a healthy bank balance alone does not establish what can be distributed.
Discuss your circumstances before deciding how much to take from the company.
Read the company-owner guidance ↗Official guidance checked 19 October 2026. Follow the guidance links and FAQs for current requirements; advice depends on your circumstances.
Good support can
start from your desk.
Whether you work in Manchester city centre, Ancoats, the Northern Quarter or from home, calls, video meetings and our client portal make it practical to share information and keep in touch.
Our office is in Tattenhall, Cheshire. Arrange an appointment if you prefer to meet in person, or ask whether a visit to your business would be suitable.
Meet us in Tattenhall
Swift Accountants3 Chowley Court
Chowley Oak, Tattenhall
Cheshire, CH3 9GA
Find our office on Google Maps ↗
Please arrange an appointment before travelling and tell us about any access requirements. When we meet in person, the coffee’s on us.
The questions
worth asking.
From fees and changing accountants to hiring and company pay, here are a few starting points. We’ll talk through the detail that applies to you.
Do you have an office in Manchester?
Our office is in Tattenhall, Cheshire. We support Manchester clients by phone, video and through our client portal. You can arrange an office appointment or ask about a visit to your business. We’ll agree the location and arrangements before you travel.
How much do accountants in Manchester charge?
Fees depend on the services required, transaction volumes, complexity and the condition of your records. We’ll discuss the work and agree a fixed fee before starting. Ask what is included, whether software costs extra and how additional work is agreed. Your first chat is completely free, with no obligation to join.
Can you help me change accountants?
Yes. Once we agree the services, fee and timing, we can contact your previous accountant with your permission. Tell us about deadlines and unfinished work at the start. Swift’s standard switching process is free; catch-up work and fees owed to your previous accountant are separate.
How will I stay in touch with the team?
You can call or email, arrange video conversations and discuss meetings where helpful. We’ll explain who handles your work and how to share documents and updates. Existing clients can use our client portal. If something is time-sensitive, mention the deadline when you contact us.
Do you work with agencies, freelancers and online shops?
We can discuss support for each of these businesses, including accounts, tax and bookkeeping. Tell us how you earn income, which sales channels or invoicing systems you use and what you need to understand better. We’ll assess the work and agree a suitable scope rather than assume every business needs the same package.
Does Making Tax Digital for Income Tax apply to me?
Your qualifying gross self-employment and property income for the relevant tax year determines which phase may apply, subject to eligibility and exemptions. The start dates are set out above. We can help check your position and discuss software, records and responsibilities for the required updates.
When should a growing business think about VAT?
Ask as taxable turnover approaches the registration threshold, or before a large contract changes your position. The rolling 12-month test and next-30-days test work differently. We can discuss your circumstances, including the effect on pricing and records. Special rules and exceptions can apply.
How should I pay myself from my limited company?
Salary, dividends and directors’ loans have different rules and tax consequences. Dividends require sufficient available profits and the appropriate records. We can review your circumstances and explain the options, including payroll and personal tax considerations, before you decide what to take from the company.
Can you help when I’m ready to hire my first employee?
We can discuss payroll and the employment costs to include in your budget, such as employer National Insurance and pension contributions where applicable. There are also employer responsibilities beyond payroll. Tell us your intended start date so we can agree the accounting work and identify any separate specialist advice you need.
What should I bring to the first conversation?
A short outline of your business, income sources, current records and the support you want is enough to begin. Mention your accounting software, existing accountant and any approaching deadlines or HMRC letters. If records are behind, say so; we can discuss the work needed and agree the next steps.
Tell us what
you’re working towards.
A more organised week. A better understanding of your figures. The confidence to ask before you decide. Start with what would make a difference to you.
We’ll listen, explain the support available and agree a useful next step.
info@swift-accountants.co.uk
Completely free to begin. No obligation to join.
