In Short
A Chartered Accountant is a financial professional who has trained for three years, passed the professional examinations set by a body such as ICAEW, and is regulated and bound by a code of ethics — unlike the term “accountant”, which is not legally protected in the UK. For tax filings, statutory accounts, SEIS/EIS compliance, grant certifications and investor-facing financials, only a Chartered Accountant carries the professional standing these tasks require. Consult EFC’s ICAEW Chartered Accountants work with UK start-ups, scale-ups and established SMEs on a fixed-fee, partner-led basis, with most engagements starting within five working days.
Most Business Owners Get the Wrong Accountant
A bookkeeper processes the past. A Chartered Accountant protects your future. There is a difference — and it is the difference between a business that grows with confidence and one that is always scrambling to catch up with HMRC.
Missed Deadlines & Penalties
HMRC interest and late filing penalties add up fast. A Chartered Accountant keeps you compliant before it becomes a problem.
Overpaying Tax
R&D credits, SEIS/EIS reliefs, allowances — most founders leave thousands on the table every year through poor tax planning.
Failed Fundraising & Loan Applications
Investors and banks want professional-grade financials. Scrappy accounts cost you the capital your business needs to scale.
What We Do
Chartered Accountant Services for UK Business Owners
Every service is delivered by ICAEW-regulated professionals. No juniors taking shortcuts. No work farmed out offshore.
Tax Returns & CT600
Corporation tax returns, self-assessment, PAYE settlements and HMRC correspondence handled by your accountant — not a portal.
Learn more →Financial Statements
Statutory accounts prepared under FRS 102 or FRS 105, filed at Companies House and HMRC on time, every time.
Learn more →SEIS & EIS Applications
Make your start-up investable. We handle the full SEIS and EIS advance assurance and compliance statements with HMRC.
Learn more →Grant Applications
Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon, local growth funds — we prepare the financial schedules and accountant certifications that grant bodies require.
Learn more →Business Plans
Investor-ready business plans with a 3-year financial model and funding narrative, built for banks, angels, VCs and grant bodies.
Learn more →Debt Financing Support
Bank loans, asset finance, growth capital — we prepare the management accounts, projections and information packs lenders actually want to see.
Learn more →Agreed Upon Procedures
When a full audit is not required, we perform targeted financial procedures — for investors, lenders or transaction due diligence.
Learn more →Management Accounts
Monthly or quarterly reporting packs that tell you how your business is actually performing — not just at year-end.
Learn more →VAT Returns & MTD
MTD-compliant VAT returns prepared and filed on time. VAT registration, scheme selection and partial exemption handled properly.
Learn more →R&D Tax Credits
Claim what you are owed. We prepare defensible R&D tax credit claims under HMRC’s post-2023 merged scheme for SMEs and large companies.
Learn more →Also Need a Business Valuation?
ICAEW-grade independent valuations for exit, EMI, SSAS and investor due diligence.
Sister site: SME Business Valuation & Consult EFC
Who We Work With
Built for Business Owners, Not the Corporate World
Start-ups
Getting SEIS advance assurance, setting up your company structure correctly and filing your first accounts without an HMRC headache. We have done this hundreds of times.
Scale-ups
Growing fast means your financial infrastructure needs to keep pace. Management accounts, investor-ready financials, R&D claims and EIS compliance — all in one place.
Established SMEs
Year-end accounts, corporation tax, VAT returns, debt financing and agreed upon procedures. We become your in-house finance function without the overhead.
About Consult EFC
Chartered Accountants Who Have Actually Run the Numbers at the Top
Consult EFC is led by Kishen Patel, an ICAEW Chartered Accountant (BFP ACA) with over 12 years of experience across Big Four audit, investment banking and corporate advisory. He trained at Deloitte and leads every engagement personally — bringing institutional rigour to growing UK businesses without the institutional price tag or the junior-led service model.
Our clients range from pre-revenue start-ups seeking SEIS advance assurance to established SMEs with complex multi-entity structures. The common thread is that every engagement is partner-led from day one.
200+
Clients served
12+ Yrs
Big Four & banking
ICAEW
Regulated
Partner-led, always
You speak to a qualified Chartered Accountant — not an account manager or overseas bureau.
Fixed fees, no surprises
You know exactly what you are paying before we start. We do not bill by the hour for every email.
ICAEW regulated
Full professional indemnity insurance and regulatory oversight. Your protection, not just ours.
Fast turnaround
We understand that business does not wait. Most engagements begin within five working days.
UK Coverage
Chartered Accountant Services Across the United Kingdom
Most work is conducted remotely, so wherever you are based, distance is never a barrier to working with us.
Consult EFC provides ICAEW Chartered Accountant services for business owners, start-ups and scale-ups throughout the UK. Our expertise covers tax returns, financial statements, SEIS and EIS, grant applications, business plans, debt financing and agreed upon procedures. Every engagement is personally led by a Big Four-trained Chartered Accountant.
Common Questions
Ready to Work With a Chartered Accountant Who Actually Gets Business?
Book a free, no-obligation call. We will tell you exactly what we can do for you and what it will cost — before you commit to anything.