For people who perform, compete and create.And the landlords and limited companies we have always looked after.
Compliance in the background. Advice while there is still time to act.
Who this page is for
Short careers, income in bursts, expenses that follow you round the country and abroad. Most accountants find that awkward. It is the work we know best.
Dancers and performers
Stage, screen, touring and teaching. Agents, mixed PAYE and freelance income, and gaps between contracts.
Athletes and sportspeople
Prize money, sponsorship, image rights and a career that peaks early. Planning for the years after.
Film, TV and production
Crew, cast and the companies behind them. Production accounting, creative reliefs and VAT on location.
Creators and influencers
Brand deals, platform payouts, gifted products and US partners who want a form you have never heard of.
Six things we do
Xero and automation run the routine in real time. People do the thinking. These six jobs come up with almost every performer, athlete and creator.
Expense and receipt tracking
Photograph a receipt on the train and it is logged. Mileage, per diems and kit are sorted before year end, not in January.
Sole trader or limited company
It depends on what you earn, how it arrives and your five-year plans. We work it out on your numbers and set up any change.
Relief on outfits, travel and equipment
Costumes, dancewear, cameras, lighting, instruments, training and the miles between jobs. We claim what the rules allow and explain the line where they stop.
Brand deals and monetisation income
Platform payouts, sponsorships, affiliate income and gifted products all count. We track each stream, work out what is taxable and watch the VAT threshold.
W-8BEN for US partnerships
US brands and platforms withhold tax unless the form is right. We complete it with you, so withholding follows the treaty.
Grants and funding
Arts Council, sports bodies, trusts and creative reliefs. We check what you can apply for, how it is taxed and how to record it.
Everything behind the work
One fixed monthly fee covers the lot. You send what arrives. We keep the books, meet the deadlines and tell you what to do next, in time.
- Self Assessment and payments on account
- Limited company accounts and corporation tax
- Bookkeeping on Xero
- VAT registration and returns
- Payroll for your first hire
- Agent statements reconciled
- Income from abroad and touring
- Letters from HMRC, answered
- A Month 9 review before the year closes
- A plan for the quiet months
Clients in their own words
Named clients with their handles, once each has said yes in writing. Until then, three placeholders in the shape the cards will take.
"Quote to follow with permission."
"Quote to follow with permission."
"Quote to follow with permission."
Questions we get asked most
Short answers here. Longer ones on a call, with your own numbers in front of us.
Can I claim my outfits, dancewear or kit?
Often, where the item is needed for your work and is not everyday wear. Costumes, stage clothing, dancewear, training kit, cameras, lights, instruments and their upkeep can qualify, but it depends on your circumstances and the tax rules, so nothing qualifies automatically. A jacket you could wear to dinner does not. We keep the line clear so a claim stands up if HMRC asks.
A US brand has asked me for a W-8BEN. What is it?
A form that tells an American payer you are a UK resident, so the UK and US tax treaty can apply. Without it they may withhold up to thirty per cent; with it the withholding can be lower or nil, depending on the type of payment, the treaty and your circumstances. It is short, but the treaty details have to be right. We fill it in with you and keep a copy on file.
Do gifted products count as income?
Often, yes. If a product arrives in return for content, its value is usually taxable, and it can count towards the VAT threshold. We track gifts alongside cash so they are in the figures before year end.
Should I be a sole trader or a limited company?
It depends on what you earn, how steady it is, whether you pay others and what you want to keep in the business. There is a crossover point where a company can save tax, and a level below it where it only adds admin. We work it out on your numbers, not a rule of thumb.
My income is up and down. Why is my tax bill so high in January?
Because HMRC asks for payments on account towards next year based on this year. A big year followed by a quiet one means you can apply to reduce them. We look at that every year before the payment falls due.
I tour or shoot abroad. Where do I pay tax?
Usually in the UK, with credit for anything withheld abroad, though it depends on the country and how long you are there. Tell us before you go and we set it up so the paperwork is done once, not twice.
What does an agent's commission do to my tax?
It is a cost of earning the income, so it comes off before tax. We reconcile the agent's statements so every deduction is recorded and the VAT on commission is handled correctly.
What happens after I enquire?
Within one working day a named person gets back to you, by email or phone, whichever you gave us. If you asked for an instant estimate you already have the figure, and the call turns it into a proposal. Nothing is set up and nothing changes with your current accountant until you say yes. If it is urgent, ring 020 8087 3107.
Sport, media and the arts factsheet
The six services above, the reliefs worth knowing, the common traps and a first-year checklist. Six pages, written by us, sent to your inbox.
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Advice while there is still time to act.