Accounting help for Chatham and Medway
Chatham has a long working history, from the dockyard to the engineering and service businesses that followed. Today the town is home to a broad mix: construction firms and subcontractors, retailers, hospitality businesses, small manufacturers and a growing number of start-ups linked to the universities at Chatham Maritime. We support all of them with the accounting and tax work that keeps a business compliant and in control of its money.
Construction and the Construction Industry Scheme
Many of our Medway clients work in building and the trades. If you're a contractor paying subcontractors, you'll need to verify them with HMRC, deduct the right amount and file a return every month. If you're a subcontractor, deductions taken from your pay count towards your tax bill and may lead to a refund. We help with:
- CIS monthly returns, verifications and payment and deduction statements.
- Claiming back overpaid deductions for subcontractors through their tax return or the company's payroll submissions.
- The VAT domestic reverse charge for building and construction services.
- Choosing between sole trader and limited company as the work grows.
Limited companies
For Chatham companies we prepare year-end company accounts and file them with Companies House, then calculate and submit the Corporation Tax return. We'll also look at how you pay yourself as a director, keep an eye on your director's loan account and remind you of your confirmation statement. If you've fallen behind with filings, tell us early: penalties for late accounts increase the longer they're outstanding.
Start-ups and new ventures
Students and graduates often start businesses close to where they studied. If you're setting up in Chatham, we can help you choose a structure, register with HMRC, set up simple bookkeeping and understand which deadlines apply to you. Getting this right at the start saves a lot of tidying up later.
Our approach
- A short conversation about your business and what you need, arranged through our contact form.
- A clear quote and engagement letter setting out what we'll do.
- Secure access to your records, using your software's accountant invitation rather than passwords.
- Regular reminders of what we need, followed by prepared returns for you to review and approve before we file.
Keeping your figures useful
Accounts filed once a year tell you what has already happened. For businesses with staff, vehicles or several jobs on the go, a quarterly review of the figures can show which work is profitable and when cash will be tight. We can provide this alongside your VAT returns, using the records already in your software.
Working across the Medway towns
We support clients in Chatham, Rochester, Strood and Gillingham, as well as businesses further along the Thames at Gravesend. Everything can be handled remotely, so you speak to us when it suits you rather than fitting around office hours.
Accountants in Chatham: common questions
I'm a CIS subcontractor. Can I get a tax refund?
Often, yes. Deductions taken by contractors are a payment towards your tax and National Insurance. Once your allowable expenses and personal allowance are taken into account, the deductions can exceed what you owe. We prepare your Self Assessment return so that any overpayment is claimed correctly.
Do you file CIS returns for contractors?
Yes. We verify new subcontractors with HMRC, calculate deductions, issue payment and deduction statements and submit your monthly return on time. Nil returns may still be needed for months when you made no payments, unless you've told HMRC you're inactive, and we'll keep track of that for you.
How do I know if my company's accounts are late?
Companies House shows the next accounts due date on your company's public record. If that date has passed, the accounts are overdue and a penalty applies. Send us your company number and we can check your filing position and plan how to bring everything up to date.
Do you work with businesses in Rochester and Strood too?
Yes. We work with clients across Medway and the rest of Kent. Because we work remotely, it makes no difference which side of the river you're on; the service and the way we share information are the same.