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CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS · WOOLWICH, LONDON SE18 · FOUNDED 1886

Accountants and Tax Advisers for Business Owners in London and Kent

Simpson Wreford LLP is an ICAEW-regulated chartered accountancy firm based at Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. We provide accounting, tax planning, audit, and business advisory services to established businesses and individuals across London, Kent, and the South East.

Whether you are a sole trader filing your first Self-Assessment return, a growing limited company looking to reduce your corporation tax liability, or an established business owner planning your exit, we have the expertise to help. Our clients range from start-ups to multi-national companies with turnover exceeding £40 million.

We offer fixed fees, a named contact who knows your business, and advice that goes beyond compliance — helping you make better financial decisions all year round.

We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation.

Call 020 8317 6460 or email enq@simpsonwreford.co.uk  to get started.

Simpson Wreford LLP at a glance

140

Years serving businesses in London and the South East

1886

Year the firm was founded in London

£40m+

Largest client turnover advised by our team

ICAEW

Regulated member firm — chartered and quality-assured

Who We Help

We work with a wide range of clients, from individuals needing personal tax advice to long-established businesses requiring a full suite of accounting and advisory services. Our specialist sectors include charities, medical professionals, property businesses, and solicitors.

Business owners

Business owners and limited companies

We act as the accountants and tax advisers for owner-managed businesses at every stage — from start-up through growth to exit. Our services include corporation tax planning, profit extraction strategies, payroll, VAT compliance, audit, and strategic business advisory. We are proactive partners in your success, not just year-end compliance specialists.
Sole traders

Sole traders and self-employed individuals

If you are self-employed, we prepare and file your Self-Assessment tax return, advise on allowable expenses, and help you plan your personal tax position throughout the year. With Making Tax Digital for Income Tax now mandatory from April 2026, we offer two straightforward options to keep you compliant without complexity.
Landlords

Landlords and property investors

We advise landlords on the most tax-efficient structure for holding property, rental income reporting, allowable expenses, and Capital Gains Tax on disposals. We also help with Inheritance Tax planning for property-rich estates.
complex personal tax affairs

Individuals with complex personal tax affairs

Company directors, high earners, non-UK domiciles, and those with capital gains, overseas income, or inherited estates often have personal tax affairs that require specialist advice. Our team handles all levels of complexity in Self-Assessment returns and personal tax planning.

Our Services

We provide a comprehensive range of accountancy and tax services tailored to your circumstances. All fees are fixed and agreed before work begins.

  • Corporation Tax - planning, compliance, CT600 filing, and HMRC liaison
  • Self-Assessment and Personal Tax - all levels of complexity
  • VAT - registration, returns, scheme selection, and Making Tax Digital compliance
  • Payroll - PAYE administration, payslips, RTI submissions, and auto-enrolment
  • Audit and Accounts - statutory and specialist audits, financial reporting
  • Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax - spreadsheet and QuickBooks service options from £50 + VAT per submission
  • Tax Planning - profit extraction, business structure, R&D relief, and succession planning
  • Estate Planning and Inheritance Tax - Wills, trusts, and lifetime gifting strategies
  • Probate - estate administration with sensitivity and professionalism
  • Corporate Finance - business valuations, due diligence, mergers and acquisitions
  • Part-Time Financial Directors - senior financial oversight without the full-time cost
  • Cloud Accounting - QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage setup, training, and support

We also offer specialist sector services for charities, medical practices, property businesses, and solicitors. Ask us about your sector when you get in touch.

Why Clients Choose Simpson Wreford LLP

Over 135 years of expertise in London

Simpson Wreford LLP was founded in 1886 and has operated from the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, for generations. We have advised clients through every significant change in UK tax legislation — from the introduction of PAYE in 1944 to the current digital transformation of tax. That continuity of experience is something no recently-established firm can offer.

Fixed fees, agreed upfront

We quote a fixed fee before we begin any work. Our clients always know what they will pay before we start, and we discuss any scope changes with you before they affect your bill. No hourly rate surprises.

A named contact who knows your business

When you call us, you speak to someone who knows your accounts, your history, and your goals. We do not operate a call centre model where your affairs are handled by a different person each time.

Proactive advice, not just annual compliance

Tax planning is most effective when it happens throughout the year, not at year-end. We meet with clients regularly, flag relevant changes in tax legislation, and identify opportunities before deadlines pass.

Regulated and quality-assured

Simpson Wreford LLP is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the UK200Group — the UK’s leading quality-assured membership association of independent chartered accountancy and law firms. We are regulated, insured, and bound by a professional code of conduct.

QuickBooks Elite Partners and Xero-certified

We are one of a select number of QuickBooks Elite Accountant Partners in the UK, and are also Xero-certified and experienced with Sage. We help clients migrate to cloud accounting, manage their software, and use it to stay compliant with Making Tax Digital.

What Our Clients Say

Our clients range from sole traders to the chairmen of internationally recognised companies. Here is what a few of them have said about working with us.

"For over 33-years the Simpson Wreford team have steered Brigade Electronics through the shark-infested waters between a one-man start-up and the market leading £30m Brigade Electronics plc of today. That speaks for itself."
"This is an accountancy firm really committed to saving the client’s money and making doing the books much easier. We are delighted by the quality of service we continue to receive."
"Simpson Wreford have been so much more than an accountancy firm and we can truly say without them we would not be where we are today — a successful and thriving organisation."

Whether you are looking for a one-off consultation or a long-term relationship, we are ready to help you take your business to the next level. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out how we can make a difference for you.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax — Are You Ready?

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self-Assessment became mandatory from April 2026 for self-employed individuals and landlords above the relevant income threshold. Under MTD, you must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC, followed by a final declaration.

Simpson Wreford offers two simple, low-cost service options to keep you compliant:

Simple Spreadsheet Service — complete our custom Excel template quarterly; we review and submit to HMRC from £50 + VAT per submission

Enhanced QuickBooks Service — for those who want more automation, with options from self-managed bank feeds to full data entry and filing by us

If you are not yet registered for MTD for Income Tax, contact us now. ICAEW is advising all eligible taxpayers to register without delay.

Serving London, Kent, and the South East

Our office is at Wellesley House, Duke of Wellington Avenue, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, London SE18 6SS — within easy reach of Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley, and across Kent. We are happy to visit clients at their premises for an initial consultation, or to meet at our office.

Through our membership of the UK200Group, we also have connections with quality-assured accountancy and law firms across the UK and internationally, enabling us to support clients with cross-border requirements, overseas expansion, and international tax matters.

Common Questions

These are some of the questions we are most frequently asked by new and prospective clients.

What does a chartered accountant do for a small business?
A chartered accountant prepares financial statements, files tax returns, advises on tax planning to reduce your liability, handles HMRC correspondence, manages payroll and VAT compliance, and acts as a strategic adviser on business decisions that have financial or tax implications.
How is Simpson Wreford different from an online accountancy service?
We provide a genuinely personal service — a named chartered accountant who knows your business, meets with you regularly, and gives proactive advice rather than just reacting to what you send them. Our fees are fixed, our team is ICAEW-regulated, and we have been providing this level of service since 1886.
Do I need to be Making Tax Digital compliant?
If you are VAT-registered, you are already required to use MTD for VAT. If you are self-employed or a landlord with qualifying income, MTD for Income Tax has applied since April 2026. We can assess your situation and handle compliance on your behalf.
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We are based at Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, London SE18. We serve clients across London and the South East, including Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley, and Kent. We are also able to serve clients nationally and internationally through the UK200Group network.

Arrange Your Free Consultation

There is no obligation and no charge for an initial consultation. We will listen to your situation, explain what we can do for you, and provide a fixed fee quote.

Call us, email us, or use the contact form on our website.

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