# eba chartered accountants

> ICAEW chartered accountants based in Knutsford, Cheshire. eba works with owner managed businesses across Cheshire, Manchester and the North West, covering statutory accounts, corporation tax, VAT, payroll, bookkeeping, management accounts, forecasting and exit preparation. Ongoing packages start from £300 per month plus VAT and are billed monthly by Direct Debit.

Legal entity: EBA Group Limited, company number 06700320, VAT number 944373214.
Address: Ground Floor, Rear Barn, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 0SR, United Kingdom.
Telephone: 0333 358 0117. Email: hello@eba-group.co.uk.
Founded 2001. Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Xero accredited practice.

## Packages

- [Core](https://eba-group.co.uk/core/): Core covers everything your business needs to stay compliant. Annual accounts, corporation tax, Companies House, your director's tax return and a dedicated accountant you can actually get hold of. Clean, simple and starting from £300 per month plus VAT.
- [Insights](https://eba-group.co.uk/insights/): Insights builds on everything in Core and adds interim management accounts, regular check-in meetings and proactive tax planning. You will understand your numbers before year end, not after it.
- [Partner](https://eba-group.co.uk/partner/): Partner is eba's most comprehensive service. It includes everything in Insights, plus quarterly management accounts, quarterly strategy meetings, KPI tracking and priority access to the team. An accountant and an advisor, in one relationship.
- [eba Plus](https://eba-group.co.uk/eba-plus/): eba Plus is a collection of specialist engagements available to all eba clients. Designed for the moments that sit outside your regular package, whether that's a period of change, an opportunity that needs acting on, or a challenge that requires specific expertise.

## Quarterly advisory

- [At what age does your money run out?](https://eba-group.co.uk/advisory/): A quarterly ninety minute advisory meeting for owners of UK limited companies turning over between £500,000 and £10m. eba models the business forward, values it, takes it through a sale and the tax on it, and runs the proceeds against what the owner needs to live on, year by year, to give them the age their money is funded to and the changes that move it. The first conversation is free.

## Guides

- [Tax changes for limited companies](https://eba-group.co.uk/tax-changes-for-limited-companies/): The rates, thresholds and deadlines affecting UK owner managed limited companies, each checked against its GOV.UK source with the verification date shown. Dividends, employer National Insurance, corporation tax, VAT, Business Asset Disposal Relief and the April 2028 Companies House filing changes.

## Individual services

- [Annual accounts](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/annual-accounts/): eba prepares and files statutory annual accounts for limited companies in Knutsford, Cheshire and across the UK. Included in Core, from £300 per month plus VAT.
- [Corporation tax](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/corporation-tax/): eba prepares corporation tax computations and CT600 returns for limited companies in Cheshire and Manchester. Included in Core, from £300 per month plus VAT.
- [VAT returns](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/vat-returns/): eba prepares and files VAT returns under Making Tax Digital for businesses in Knutsford, Cheshire and across the UK. Included in Core, from £300 per month plus VAT.
- [Payroll](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/payroll/): eba runs payroll for owner managed companies in Knutsford, Cheshire and Manchester: payslips, RTI filing, auto enrolment and year end. Priced on employee numbers.
- [Bookkeeping and Xero](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/bookkeeping-and-xero/): eba is a Xero accredited practice in Knutsford, Cheshire. Xero support is included in Core from £300 per month plus VAT; full bookkeeping is added as a bolt-on.
- [Personal tax](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/personal-tax/): eba prepares self assessment tax returns for company directors, landlords and the self employed across Cheshire and Manchester. Included in Core for directors.
- [Management accounts](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/management-accounts/): eba prepares management accounts through the year for owner managed businesses in Cheshire and Manchester. Quarterly in the Partner package, interim reporting in Insights.
- [Exit and sale planning](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/exit-and-sale-planning/): eba prepares owner managed businesses in Cheshire and Manchester for sale or succession: valuation, clean numbers, due diligence. Included in the Partner package.

## Key pages

- [How much does an accountant cost?](https://eba-group.co.uk/how-much-does-an-accountant-cost/): UK accountancy fees with real figures. eba's fee bands for limited companies, what drives a quote, worked examples and who should use a cheaper firm.
- [Accountants in Knutsford](https://eba-group.co.uk/accountants-in-knutsford/): Location page covering the office, the areas served and how eba works with businesses across Cheshire and the North West.
- [The team](https://eba-group.co.uk/the-team/): Every member of the eba team, their role, qualifications and specialisms.
- [The eba way](https://eba-group.co.uk/the-eba-way/): Mission, vision, promise and the six core values.
- [Our story](https://eba-group.co.uk/our-story/): How the firm started in 2001 and where it is going.
- [Services](https://eba-group.co.uk/services/): All packages and specialist work, with pricing.
- [Contact](https://eba-group.co.uk/contact/): Address, phone, email and how to start a conversation.

## Frequently asked questions

- [Who are eba?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#who-are-eba): eba is a firm of ICAEW chartered accountants based in Knutsford, Cheshire.
- [Where are eba based?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#where-are-eba-based): eba is based at Ground Floor, Rear Barn, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 0SR.
- [Are eba chartered accountants?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#are-eba-chartered-accountants): Yes.
- [What kind of businesses does eba work with?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-kind-of-businesses-does-eba-work-with): eba works mainly with owner managed limited companies, typically turning over between £250,000 and £10 million, across professional services, construction, trades, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and technology.
- [How big is eba?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#how-big-is-eba): eba has a team of thirteen, which is a deliberate size.
- [Who owns and runs eba?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#who-owns-and-runs-eba): eba was founded in 2001 by David Elliott, who qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG in 1990 and remains Founder and Managing Partner.
- [How much does an accountant cost at eba?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#how-much-does-an-accountant-cost-at-eba): eba's Core compliance package starts from £300 per month plus VAT for a limited company.
- [How does eba bill?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#how-does-eba-bill): Monthly by Direct Debit.
- [Will I get charged every time I ring with a question?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#will-i-get-charged-every-time-i-ring-with-a-question): No.
- [Why is eba more expensive than an online accountant?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#why-is-eba-more-expensive-than-an-online-accountant): Because the two are different products.
- [How do I switch accountants to eba?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#how-do-i-switch-accountants-to-eba): Switching takes one form from you and around two to four weeks of work at our end.
- [Can I switch accountants mid year?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#can-i-switch-accountants-mid-year): Yes.
- [What happens when I become an eba client?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-happens-when-i-become-an-eba-client): There are three steps.
- [What accounting software does eba use?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-accounting-software-does-eba-use): eba is a Xero accredited practice and Xero is the default recommendation for most clients.
- [Will I have one point of contact?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#will-i-have-one-point-of-contact): Yes.
- [Does eba do payroll and bookkeeping?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#does-eba-do-payroll-and-bookkeeping): Yes, both.
- [Can eba help me sell my business?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#can-eba-help-me-sell-my-business): Yes.
- [Does eba work with clients outside Cheshire?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#does-eba-work-with-clients-outside-cheshire): Yes.
- [What is the VAT registration threshold?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-is-the-vat-registration-threshold): The UK VAT registration threshold is £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling twelve month period.
- [What are the current corporation tax rates?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-are-the-current-corporation-tax-rates): Corporation tax is 19% on profits up to £50,000 and 25% on profits above £250,000.
- [Do I need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#do-i-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax): It depends on your qualifying income and it is being phased in.
- [Should I take salary or dividends from my company?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#should-i-take-salary-or-dividends-from-my-company): For most owner directors the efficient answer is a modest salary plus dividends, but the right split depends on your profits, your other income, whether the company can claim employment allowance, and what you need personally.
- [Should I be a sole trader or a limited company?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#should-i-be-a-sole-trader-or-a-limited-company): A limited company usually becomes worth it once profits are consistently above roughly £30,000 to £40,000, but tax is only part of the decision.
- [When do I actually need an accountant?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#when-do-i-actually-need-an-accountant): Sooner than most people think, and the trigger is usually complexity rather than size.
- [What are the penalties for filing company accounts late?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-are-the-penalties-for-filing-company-accounts-late): Companies House charges £150 for accounts filed up to one month late, £375 for one to three months, £750 for three to six months, and £1,500 beyond six months, and the penalty doubles if you file late in two consecutive years.
- [Can I claim R&D tax relief?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#can-i-claim-r-d-tax-relief): Possibly, but the bar is higher than it was and claims are being scrutinised far more closely.
- [What records do I need to keep and for how long?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-records-do-i-need-to-keep-and-for-how-long): A limited company must keep accounting records for six years from the end of the financial year they relate to, and company registers, including the register of members and the PSC register, for the life of the company.
- [What is a confirmation statement and when is it due?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#what-is-a-confirmation-statement-and-when-is-it-due): A confirmation statement confirms to Companies House that the information it holds about your company is still correct: registered office, directors, shareholders, share capital, people with significant control and your SIC codes.
- [How do I pay less tax legally?](https://eba-group.co.uk/faqs/#how-do-i-pay-less-tax-legally): The reliable levers are structural rather than clever: the right trading structure, an efficient salary and dividend split, pension contributions, using your allowances before the year end rather than after it, claiming capital allowances properly, and timing income and expenditure across accounting periods.

## Journal

- [Spanish property tax: what UK owners need to know](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/spanish-property-tax-what-uk-owners-need-to-know/): Owning a Spanish property brings Spanish tax obligations separate from the UK. UK owners must file an annual Modelo 210 return whether or not the property is let, and there is IBI, possibly wealth tax, and capital gains tax on sale. Here is what to file and how it meets UK tax.
- [The peak-end rule: why the last moment matters most](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/the-peak-end-rule-why-the-last-moment-matters-most/): People do not remember an experience as an average of every moment. They remember its most intense point and how it ended, which Daniel Kahneman called the peak-end rule. For a smaller business, that means you do not need to be excellent at everything, only deliberate about two moments.
- [Budget 2026: could capital gains tax rise for business owners?](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/budget-2026-could-capital-gains-tax-rise-for-business-owners/): Economists expect tax rises in the 28 October 2026 Budget, and the change that matters most for business owners is aligning capital gains tax with income tax rates. Here is what an equalised CGT could mean for a company sale, and how to plan for it.
- [ESG or B Corp: does your SME need either?](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/esg-v-b-corp-whats-the-difference-and-does-your-sme-actually-need-either/): Start with an ESG policy, not B Corp certification. ESG costs nothing but discipline, while B Corp adds audit, annual fees and a change to your Articles.
- [What a 92% solar eclipse can teach your business about cash flow](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/what-a-92-solar-eclipse-can-teach-your-business-about-cash-flow/): Most cash flow pressure is as predictable as an eclipse once you model it. A rolling forecast with best and worst cases shows the dip early enough to prepare.
- [What car parks and airlines teach us about pricing](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/dynamic-pricing-isnt-just-for-ncp-and-easyjet-what-car-parks-and-airlines-can-teach-small-businesses-about-dynamic-pricing/): Variable pricing works for a small business when changes are modest and clearly explained. Charge more at peak and less off peak, but avoid surge pricing.
- [Cutting your losses - how to get a tax refund on a failed investment](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/cutting-your-losses-how-to-get-a-tax-refund-on-a-failed-investment/): A negligible value claim crystallises a loss on worthless shares without selling them, and it can be backdated up to two tax years to offset an earlier gain.
- [HMRC toughens its stance on tax debts](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/hmrc-toughens-its-stance-on-tax-debts/): HMRC has restarted direct recovery of tax debts from bank accounts, with a wider rollout from April 2026. Engaging early is the reliable protection.
- [The pension planning perk that HMRC actually wants you to use](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/the-pension-planning-perk-that-hmrc-actually-wants-you-to-use/): An employer can pay up to £500 a person each tax year for pensions advice with no income tax, no national insurance and full corporation tax relief.
- [Stuck in the past - the UK tax reliefs that time forgot](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/stuck-in-the-past-the-uk-tax-reliefs-that-time-forgot/): Several UK tax allowances have been frozen for decades, from £5,000 wedding gifts since 1975 to the £150 staff party limit. The all or nothing ones cost most.
- [The great hiring shift in Britain's labour market](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/the-great-hiring-shift-what-business-owners-can-learn-from-britains-changing-labour-market/): Permanent UK hiring has fallen for 44 months while temporary demand climbs. Weigh the full cost of employment against fractional or contract expertise first.
- [Companies House reforms confirmed for April 2028](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/major-companies-house-reforms-confirmed-and-what-company-owners-need-to-know-before-april-2028/): From April 2028 small companies must file a profit and loss account at Companies House, abridged accounts end and filing moves to commercial software.
- [Unpaid customer invoices - don’t forget to reclaim the VAT](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/unpaid-customer-invoices-dont-forget-to-reclaim-the-vat/): You can reclaim VAT paid on an unpaid invoice through VAT Bad Debt Relief once the debt is six months overdue and written off. The claim window is four years.
- [Mileage allowance increase from April 2026](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/mileage-allowance-increase-from-april-2026-what-business-owners-need-to-know/): From 6 April 2026 the approved mileage rate rises from 45p to 55p for the first 10,000 business miles, the first rise since 2011. Above that it stays at 25p.
- [IR35 and the football referees case](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/ir35-in-the-spotlight-again-what-the-football-referees-case-means-for-small-businesses/): HMRC lost its eight year, £584,000 IR35 case over Premier League referees. Employment status turns on how the relationship works, not what the contract says.
- [How to reward staff ideas without tax or NI](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/how-to-reward-staff-for-great-ideas-without-paying-tax-or-ni-on-the-bonus/): HMRC's employee suggestion scheme lets you reward a good idea with up to £25 tax free, or up to £5,000 where it saves or makes money, with no tax or NI due.
- [A smarter way to chase unpaid invoices?](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/a-smarter-way-to-chase-unpaid-invoices/): Garfield AI is an SRA-regulated law firm that makes chasing debts under £10,000 economic again, with cheap chaser letters and low-cost court claims.
- [Workplace stress - a practical guide for small business owners](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/workplace-stress-a-practical-guide-for-small-business-owners/): Workplace stress is usually a symptom of how a business is run, not a lack of resilience. The causes are workload, unclear roles and weak management support.
- [Free childcare for company owners](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/free-childcare-for-company-owners/): Working parents in England can claim 30 hours of free childcare a week if each earns at least £10,159 from salary or self-employment. Dividends do not count.
- [A fresh look for the eba office in Knutsford](https://eba-group.co.uk/journal/a-fresh-look-for-the-eba-office-in-knutsford/): The eba office in Knutsford has a fresh look, with new flooring, decoration and signage as part of the wider rebrand. There is even a new coffee machine.

## Optional

- [Careers](https://eba-group.co.uk/why-join-eba/): Why people join eba and what the firm looks for.
- [Life at eba](https://eba-group.co.uk/life-at-eba/): Culture, working patterns and the team.
- [Privacy policy](https://eba-group.co.uk/privacy-policy/)
- [Terms and conditions](https://eba-group.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/)