Accountants for Start-ups & Small Businesses

Start-ups & first-time founders · From day one

Don’t make founder-mistakes a future you will regret.

The right company structure, the right share capital, SEIS/EIS done properly, your first VAT registration timed right. These decisions in your first six months save (or cost) you tens of thousands later. We get them right.

Company formationDone in 24 hrs
SEIS/EISAdvance assurance
Fixed startup feesNo clock watching
Founder-friendlyPlain English

Founders, this is the bit before the bit no-one tells you about

You’ve got an idea, possibly a co-founder, maybe an early customer. What you don’t have is time to read HMRC’s manual. So you Google, set up the wrong share structure, miss SEIS by paying the wrong way, register for VAT too early, and it costs you later.

We’ve onboarded hundreds of UK start-ups. We’ll incorporate you properly, set up the cap table for SEIS/EIS, get your first bookkeeping system live, register you for the right taxes at the right time, and produce your first year’s accounts without the panic.

In your fixed fee

What’s included

  • Limited company incorporation at Companies House
  • Founder share structure and cap table setup
  • SEIS / EIS Advance Assurance application
  • Business bank account introductions (Tide, Starling, Mettle)
  • Cloud bookkeeping setup (Xero)
  • PAYE registration when you hire your first employee
  • Correct VAT timing — voluntary vs. mandatory
  • First year’s statutory accounts and CT600
  • Director self-assessment
  • Quarterly check-ins with a real accountant
Why Mercian

Why clients stay

A genuinely modern approach

Cloud accounting, MTD-ready workflows and secure document portals — no shoeboxes of receipts, no surprise emails in March.

Fixed fees, no clock-watching

A clear monthly price agreed up front. Call us as often as you need without worrying about a meter running.

Senior advice, not call-centre answers

Every client has a named accountant who knows your business — not a ticket queue.

FAQ

Common questions

When should I incorporate vs. trade as a sole trader?
When you want limited liability, are above the higher-rate threshold, or want to raise SEIS/EIS investment. Below ~35k pounds profit, sole trader is often simpler.
What’s SEIS/EIS and do I qualify?
Tax reliefs that let your investors recoup 50% / 30% of their investment. Most early UK start-ups under 350k pounds assets and 25 employees qualify. We handle the Advance Assurance.
When do I need to register for VAT?
When taxable turnover exceeds 90,000 pounds rolling 12 months, but you can voluntarily register earlier to reclaim VAT on costs. Depends on your customers.
Should I pay myself a salary, dividends, or both?
Once profitable, the optimum mix is a small salary plus dividends. We model it for you each year.
Do you give business advice or just accounts?
Both. Our fixed fee covers ad-hoc advice, call us as often as you need without watching the clock.

Ready to talk to a real accountant?

Book a free 30-minute call. We’ll tell you straight whether we can help, what it would cost, and what to do next. No sales pitch, no obligation.