Who We Work With
Our HR consultant accounting services are designed for:
- Independent HR consultants working across multiple clients
- HR interim managers and fractional HR directors
- Employment law consultants
- Organisational development and change consultants
- Learning and development consultants
- Recruitment consultants
- Small HR consultancies with a growing team
Whether you are just starting out as a self-employed HR professional or running an established practice, we have the experience to support you at every stage.
The Accounting Challenges HR Consultants Face
HR consultancy comes with financial complexity that a generalist accountant may not be well placed to handle.
The right accounting setup from the start protects your income and reduces the amount you hand over to HMRC unnecessarily.
Irregular project income
HR consultants often work on a project-by-project basis, which means income can be unpredictable. Managing cash flow, setting aside the right amount for tax, and planning around gaps in work requires a proactive approach to your finances.
Business structure
Sole trader or limited company. This is one of the most important financial decisions you will make, and the right answer depends on your income level, how you want to pay yourself, and your long-term plans. We help you get this right from the outset.
Tax efficient profit extraction
If you operate through a limited company, how you pay yourself matters enormously. Getting the balance between salary and dividends right is one of the most effective and legal ways to reduce your overall tax bill.
Expense management
HR consultants have a range of allowable expenses that should be captured consistently throughout the year. Professional memberships, training, home office costs, travel to client sites. Every missed expense is money you have handed over unnecessarily.
Growing your practice
Taking on your first associate, bringing in a business partner, or restructuring as your consultancy scales. Each of these decisions has financial and tax implications that are worth getting right.
Our Services for HR Consultants
We provide a full accounting service for HR consultants and HR consultancy practices, including:
- Limited company setup and ongoing accounts
- Corporation tax returns
- Tax-efficient salary and dividend planning
- Self-assessment and personal tax returns
- Bookkeeping and payroll
- VAT registration and returns
- Business expense management
- Cash flow forecasting and planning
- Annual accounts submission to HMRC and Companies House
- Company secretarial duties
- Business advisory and growth planning
Everything is handled on a fixed monthly fee. You will always know exactly what you are paying with no unexpected bills.
Why HR Consultants Choose APH
We understand the people consultancy model
We work with consultants across a wide range of disciplines. We understand how HR consultancy businesses are structured, how project income flows, and what the financial pressure points are at each stage of growth.
Paul’s background
Our MD Paul spent nine years as a Management Accountant at Bristol Myers Squibb and three years as Group Financial Controller at Enron, at the time the largest company in the world. He has since owned and managed multiple successful businesses. That depth of real world financial management experience informs everything we do at APH.
Plain English, always
No jargon, no overcomplicated explanations. You will always know exactly where you stand with your accounts and your tax position.
Fixed fees, no surprises
Clear, predictable monthly fees from day one. No hourly billing, no unexpected invoices at the end of the month.
Every team member is a Business Growth Advisor
We do not just file your returns. Every member of our team is trained to provide forward looking business advice alongside your accounting. Your growth is at the heart of everything we do.
What Our Clients Say
Paul Foster
“We are scaling our business and needed to find a company who understood the challenges we were faced with. After speaking to five other companies, APH stood out as the business that had the most knowledge and experience.”
Mike Waywell
“I can’t recommend APH highly enough. They’ve been brilliant supporting me across two different businesses, handling everything from regular tax submissions and bookkeeping right through to restructuring shares and selling one of the companies. Special mention to Daniel too, he’s consistently gone above and beyond.”
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your profit level, how you want to extract income, and your long term plans. For most HR consultants earning consistently above £30,000 to £35,000 in profit, a limited company structure is worth exploring seriously. We will assess your specific situation and give you a clear recommendation.
The most common approach is a combination of a low salary set at the personal allowance threshold and dividends from company profits. Dividends are taxed at a lower rate than income, which makes this combination significantly more tax efficient than taking a full salary. Pension contributions made by the company are also worth considering as part of your overall extraction strategy.
Allowable expenses typically include home office costs, travel to client sites, professional memberships such as CIPD fees, training and CPD costs, professional indemnity insurance, software subscriptions, and accountancy fees. We make sure all legitimate expenses are captured correctly. You can find a full guide to consultant expense claims in our blog on consultant tax deductions.
Yes. Professional membership fees for bodies that are relevant and necessary to your consultancy work are generally deductible as a business expense, provided HMRC approves the organisation. CIPD membership falls into this category for HR professionals.
Yes. While we are based in Wallasey, Wirral, we work with HR consultants and people professionals across the UK. Our service is fully accessible remotely with video calls, phone, and email support as standard.
We work on fixed monthly fees tailored to your business. Get in touch for a no-obligation quote. There is no commitment required.
Absolutely. Every member of our team is a Business Growth Advisor. As your practice grows we can support you with business restructuring, taking on associates, partnership arrangements, and longer term financial planning. You can also find out more about our Finance Partner service which is designed specifically for ambitious growing businesses.
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