Accountants in London

Merit is a firm of accountants in London, based at 16 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0AF, in Bloomsbury, a short walk from Euston and King’s Cross. We act for clients across London and nationally, mostly by video call, and we meet clients in person anywhere in the city where that is the better way to handle something.

Tax accountants in London: Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers in Bloomsbury

Merit is a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers. In a city with this many accountants, that second qualification is a reasonable filter to apply when you are choosing between firms.

What it means in practice is that somebody trained specifically in tax reviews your position while there is still time to change it. A compliance firm records the year and calculates what you owe. We do that, and then ask whether it needed to be that much.

Our team includes professionals who have worked inside HMRC. Our partners have built their own businesses from nothing to over £1m in turnover. That means advice that will stand up if HMRC asks questions, from people who know what it takes to run a business.

Our London office

16 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0AF. Telephone 020 4534 7857.

We are also on Google. View our Google Business Profile to read our client reviews.

Our London office operates through Merit Accountants and Tax Advisors Ltd, which is listed in ACCA’s directory of firms.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00.

Who we act for in London

Small business accountants for London companies and consultants

Profit extraction is the recurring conversation. The low salary and dividend default suits many directors and should still be reviewed annually, particularly once profits reach the marginal corporation tax band between £50,000 and £250,000, where each extra pound of profit is taxed at an effective marginal rate of 26.5%. If you control more than one company, or your companies are under common control, the £50,000 and £250,000 limits are divided between them: see associated companies and corporation tax. Consultants working through their own company will find more on our contractor and freelancer accounting page. Our small business accountants page covers this in more detail.

Tax planning for higher earners

London has a high concentration of people caught by the personal allowance taper. Above £100,000 of adjusted net income the allowance is withdrawn at £1 for every £2, creating an effective 60% marginal rate between £100,000 and £125,140. See our high net worth individuals page.

Example

Someone on £120,000 makes a gross personal pension contribution of £20,000 (£16,000 paid in, with £4,000 basic rate relief added by the provider) by 5 April. Adjusted net income drops to £100,000, the full personal allowance is restored, and the effective relief on the contribution is 60%. The £20,000 in the pension has cost £8,000 net. The higher rate relief and the restored allowance come back through the Self Assessment return. The contribution has to be paid before 5 April, so someone needs to be checking your income before the year ends.

Property investors and non-resident landlords

London property carries its own set of obligations. Section 24 on personally held rentals, the 60-day capital gains return on residential disposals (and on every UK property disposal, including commercial property and sales with no tax to pay, if you live abroad), ATED for companies holding UK residential property valued at more than £500,000 on 1 April 2022 (or on purchase, if later), and the Non-resident Landlord Scheme for owners living abroad. That last one determines whether your rent arrives gross or net, and getting HMRC approval in place is worth doing.

Landlords with more than £50,000 of qualifying income have had to keep digital records and send quarterly updates under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax since 6 April 2026, and the threshold falls to £30,000 from April 2027. From April 2027 rental profits are also taxed at separate property rates, which Budget 2026 has set at 24%, 44% and 49%, with Section 24 finance cost relief expected at 24%. These rates apply in England and Northern Ireland, and in Wales unless the Welsh Government sets different rates. Scotland sets its own property income rates.

Creative, media and agency businesses

We act for creative and media businesses and agencies, where the questions are usually about project-based income, freelance and contractor costs, IR35 status decisions for the contractors you engage once you are above the small company thresholds, and when to recognise income that arrives unevenly.

Charities and not-for-profits

Bloomsbury is home to a large number of charities, institutes and membership bodies. Independent examination, restricted fund accounting, trading subsidiaries, partial exemption for VAT and Gift Aid all have their own rules.

If your business is not listed here, we can still help. These are the conversations we have most often in London, not a list of who we act for.

Services from our London office

Bookkeeping and finance support for London businesses

From our Upper Woburn Place office we provide bookkeeping services in London, monthly management accounts and fractional CFO support to businesses across the capital. As a Xero Platinum partner, we set up and run bookkeeping in Xero for most of our London clients. Every management accounts review meeting includes a Chartered Tax Adviser and a former Group Financial Controller.

Accountants for Bloomsbury, King’s Cross and across London

Our office at 16 Upper Woburn Place sits between Euston Road and Russell Square, a few minutes’ walk from Euston, Euston Square and Russell Square stations and around ten minutes from King’s Cross St Pancras. Camden, Islington, Fitzrovia, Holborn, Clerkenwell and the City are all within easy reach, and most of central London is a short tube ride away.

It makes no difference whether your business is in WC1 or in outer London. What does not change is who does the work: accounts prepared by Chartered Certified Accountants, tax planning reviewed by a Chartered Tax Adviser, and a second tax specialist checking every VAT return and set of accounts before it is filed.

Book a meeting at our London office

The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. Call 020 4534 7857 or book an appointment online.

Accountants in London: frequently asked questions

Where is your London office?

16 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0AF, in Bloomsbury, near Euston and King’s Cross. We also meet clients at their own premises across London.

Do you act for clients outside central London?

Yes, across Greater London and nationwide. We also have an office in Hertfordshire, at Potters Bar, for clients in the county and on the northern edge of London, and our accountants in Manchester work from Stalybridge in Greater Manchester.

I earn over £100,000. What can I do about the 60% band?

Pension contributions and Gift Aid donations both reduce adjusted net income and can restore the personal allowance. Relief on income in that band is 60%. Pension contributions must be paid by 5 April; Gift Aid donations made after the year end can still be carried back to the previous year if you elect to do so when you file that year’s return, by 31 January at the latest (section 426 ITA 2007).

My company owns a London flat. Do I need to file an ATED return?

If the flat was worth more than £500,000 on 1 April 2022 (or when the company bought it, if later), almost certainly yes, even where a relief means no tax is due. In that case you file a Relief Declaration Return. Returns are due by 30 April each year, and late filing carries penalties.

I live abroad and let a UK property. What do I need to do?

Apply to HMRC under the Non-resident Landlord Scheme (form NRL1) for approval to receive your rent without tax deducted. Until approval is given, your letting agent, or your tenant if there is no agent and the rent is over £100 a week, has to deduct basic rate tax. You also file a UK Self Assessment return each year. We handle both.

Do you work with charities?

Yes. We prepare charity accounts under the Charities SORP, carry out independent examinations, and advise on restricted funds, trading subsidiaries, Gift Aid and the VAT questions that come with partial exemption. See our charity accountants page.

How much do you charge?

A fixed monthly fee agreed in advance rather than an hourly rate. It depends on the size of the organisation and the services required. Our guide to how much an accountant costs sets out typical market fees.

Do we have to meet in person?

Only if you want to. We deal with most of our London clients entirely by video call and email. Where a meeting would help, we will come to you or you are welcome at Upper Woburn Place. If you are moving from another firm, see how to change accountants.

What clients say about Merit on Google

“They flag things before we’ve even thought to ask, which is something we’ve never experienced with an accountant before.”
Farz B., Google review

“They quickly understand complex matters, explain them in straightforward terms and provide practical, commercially sound solutions tailored to our needs.”
Zyba K., Google review

“Every year they are prompt and responsive, even reminding us when our filings and VAT reports are due.”
DanRaw Stores, Google review

“They are a highly professional, knowledgeable team and a true pleasure to work with.”
Liana T., Google review

“The team go above and beyond to deliver the best service and are always striving to find ways to improve the business position.”
Vardan F., Google review