Carbon Accountancy

What Carbon Accountancy does

Carbon Accountancy Limited is a UK-headquartered firm of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW and ICAI regulated) providing a broad portfolio of compliance, tax, and advisory services to SMEs, start-ups, listed companies, and international groups with UK operations. The firm operates from three offices — London EC1 (headquarters), Reading (University of Reading Enterprise Centre), and Dublin (Serpentine Business Centre) — and serves clients across the UK, Ireland, the US, the EU, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, and China. Service lines span statutory accounts and audit, corporate and personal tax, bookkeeping and payroll, R&D tax credits, forensic accounting, business valuations, corporate finance (due diligence, fundraisings, M&A, MBOs), EMI share schemes, cryptocurrency tax, property service charge audits, HMRC enquiry defence, and a part-time Finance Director offering, with will writing and probate provided under ICAEW authorisation.

The firm is built on a partnership-style delivery model in which CEO and founder John Leyden (FCA, ex-KPMG) personally engages with every client, supported by ~25 staff across the three offices including multiple FCCA/ACCA/ICAEW-qualified accountants and long-tenured bookkeepers. Technology delivery relies on certified partnerships with mainstream cloud accounting platforms — Xero (certified partner), QuickBooks, Sage, SAP, NetSuite, FreeAgent, and Dext (Receipt Bank) — alongside recommended integrations for payments (PayPal, Square), expense management (Expensify), time tracking (Toggl), and project management (Trello). The firm is privately held by its founders with no external investment, funding rounds, or holding company structure identified. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Carbon Accountancy

Legal name

Carbon Accountancy Limited

Website

https://carbonaccountancy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carbon Accountancy is a UK-headquartered chartered accountancy firm (ICAEW/ICAI regulated) operating from London, Reading, and Dublin. It provides accounting, tax, audit, corporate finance, and advisory services to SMEs, start-ups, listed companies, and international groups across 12 industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Accounting Services: Comprehensive accountancy services including company accounts, bookkeeping, audits, tax services, payroll, and business advisory. Delivered on fixed-fee or monthly retainer basis.
2. R&D Tax Credits Claims: Assistance with HMRC R&D tax credit claims with flexible fee structures including success-only fees. Helps SMEs access government innovation incentives.
3. Probate and Estate Services: Will writing at £350 plus VAT, probate services, and inheritance tax planning for individuals.
4. Corporate Finance Services: Transaction support including due diligence, business sales/acquisitions, management buy-outs, and capital raising. Fixed-fee engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Carbon Accountancy is a firm of Chartered Accountants delivering fixed-fee accounting, audit, tax, payroll, corporate finance, and advisory services to SMEs, startups, listed companies with UK subsidiaries, charities, and sector specialists across the UK and Ireland. The firm also operates certified Xero cloud accounting services, R&D tax credit claims, wills and probate services, and a part-time Finance Director offering, supported by offices in London EC1, Reading, and Dublin.

Product overview

Carbon Accountancy is a firm of Chartered Accountants offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional accounting, tax, and advisory services rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of traditional accountancy services (company accounts, business audits, bookkeeping, payroll) complemented by specialist advisory services including business valuations, corporate finance, forensic accounting, R&D tax credits, and HMRC enquiry support. The firm operates across multiple cloud accounting platforms (Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP, FreeAgent) with certified Xero Cloud Accountants providing technology-integrated services. Additional specialist services cover cryptocurrency tax advice, EMI share schemes, property service charge audits, wills and probate, and part-time Finance Director services. The firm serves diverse sectors including technology and IT, renewable energy, drinks brands, property, charities, and international groups across offices in London, Reading, and Dublin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Valuations Professional company valuation services for selling a business, raising capital, shareholder disputes, divorce proceedings, inheritance tax planning, and share option schemes including EMI schemes.
• Planning & Advice, Due Diligence and VCs Due diligence services for buying or investing in companies, tax structuring advice, strategic business growth guidance, and support for venture capital transactions ranging from £250,000 to £50 million investments.
• Data Room Services & Due Diligence Support Virtual and physical data room setup and management for capital raising and company sales, including document organization, security, and support throughout transaction phases.
• Corporate Finance Services Expert corporate finance support for buying/selling businesses, raising equity and debt funding, management buy-outs/buy-ins, financial investigations, business planning, and bank lending proposals.
• Forensic Accounting Services Expert forensic accounting for commercial disputes, partnership/shareholder disputes, fraud investigations, family/divorce disputes, insurance claims, and portfolio valuations.
• Company Accounts Statutory financial statement preparation and filing with Companies House, including full accounts and abbreviated accounts for qualifying small businesses, for startups, growing SMEs and long-established limited companies.
• Business Audits Statutory audit services, grant audits, service charge audits, solicitor accounts rules audits, rental turnover audits, internal audits, and completion audits for acquisitions and exits.
• Listed Companies, International Groups & UK Subsidiaries Statutory year-end accounts preparation, corporation tax returns, payroll management, audit of UK subsidiaries, and group auditor liaison for international groups.
• Business Tax Services Company tax returns, VAT returns, PAYE and National Insurance administration, HMRC enquiry support, personal tax returns, corporation tax planning, inheritance and capital gains tax strategies, and trust tax advice.
• Tax Checking Service Free tax health check reviewing tax position, checking tax codes, identifying overpaid tax in the last 4 years, and liaising with HMRC for refunds for individuals.
• Self Assessment Tax Returns Self Assessment Tax Return preparation for sole traders, freelancers, landlords, company directors, high earners, and those with complex tax affairs.
• Book Keeping Cost-effective bookkeeping services with monthly, quarterly, or annual support options, including VAT returns, payroll management, and full accounts preparation.
• Payroll Services & EMI Employee Share Schemes Full payroll service including payslips, HMRC advice, year-end returns (P35s, P11Ds), and EMI share scheme setup and compliance for SMEs and scale-ups.
• HMRC Enquiries Support for limited scope HMRC enquiries, full scope HMRC enquiries, and COP9 investigations (Code of Practice 9) including voluntary disclosures and negotiations.
• R&D Tax Credits HMRC R&D Tax Credit claim services including eligibility assessment, claim calculation, technical documentation, HMRC submission, and ongoing support with flexible fee structures for SMEs.
• Cryptocurrency, Cryptoassets, Bitcoin Tax Advice Expert cryptocurrency tax advice covering HMRC reporting, compliance for trading, mining, staking, and capital gains tax obligations for UK residents.
• Part Time Finance Director Service Part-time Financial Director services for SMEs including board paper preparation, board meeting attendance, corporate governance, investor reporting, and liaison with external advisers, typically 1-2 days per month support on a fixed monthly fee basis.
• Property Service Charges Audits & Reviews Audit of annual service charges, flat service charges review, tax returns for sinking funds, and investigation of service charge disputes for leaseholders and freeholders.
• Wills, Probate and Estate Services Professional will writing, probate services, and inheritance tax planning including £350 Wills package, electronic will storage, and ICAEW-authorised probate services.
• Innovation, Technology and Xero Cloud Services Cloud accounting and Xero Cloud Services with certified accountants, providing setup, training, and ongoing support for cloud-based financial management solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients typically stay for 10+ years based on testimonials
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Xero Cloud Accountants offering cloud-based accounting services. Full integration capabilities with Xero platform for client financial management.
• QuickBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred cloud accounting platform alongside Xero, Sage, SAP, NetSuite, and FreeAgent for diverse client needs.
• SagecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud and desktop accounting software integration for clients requiring Sage Line 50 and Sage 50 Payroll.
• Dext (formerly Receipt Bank)coreTechnology or IntegrationAutomated receipt scanning and expense management integration for efficient bookkeeping workflows.
• InnovationRCA (Royal College of Art)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro bono support providing guidance and advice to early-stage graduate start-ups and students in entrepreneurship programmes. John Leyden acts as sounding board for first-time entrepreneurs.
• BreadwinnersminorOthersSocial enterprise and charity supporting young refugees into work. Carbon provides accounts, payroll, and general queries support.
• Magic BreakfastminorOthersCharity providing breakfasts to school children. Carbon provides pro bono support and has not charged for over five years.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Haysmacintyre: London-based chartered accountancy firm serving SMEs, listed companies, not-for-profits, and international groups with comparable mid-tier positioning and sector specialism focus.
• Kreston Reeves: South East England mid-tier chartered accountancy firm with comparable SME focus, multi-office footprint, and broad service portfolio including corporate finance and advisory.
• BKL Chartered Accountants: London-based chartered accountancy firm of comparable size serving owner-managed businesses and SMEs with full-service accounts, tax, audit, and advisory offerings.
• Crowe UK: Mid-tier UK chartered accountancy firm serving SMEs, listed companies, and international groups with audit, tax, corporate finance, and advisory — directly comparable in scale, service mix, and target customer segments.
• Moore Kingston Smith: UK mid-tier chartered accountancy firm focused on SMEs, not-for-profits, and owner-managed businesses across London and the South East — closely comparable in size, geography, and service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Mazars UK: International mid-tier accountancy firm with strong UK presence serving SMEs, listed subsidiaries, and sector-focused clients; competes head-to-head with Carbon for mid-market audit and advisory mandates.
• BDO UK: Larger UK mid-tier accounting and advisory network offering overlapping services (audit, tax, corporate finance, sector specialisms) to similar SME and mid-market clients, but at meaningfully greater scale and brand recognition.
• RSM UK: Large UK mid-tier accounting firm with strong SME, corporate finance, and sector-led practices including tech, renewables, and regulated industries — direct overlap with Carbon's vertical strategy.
• MHA MacIntyre Hudson: UK top-20 chartered accountancy group with comparable SME and mid-market focus, audit, tax, and advisory services; serves many of the same client profiles across similar verticals.
• Grant Thornton UK: Major UK mid-tier accounting firm serving SMEs through listed companies across audit, tax, corporate finance, and advisory — comparable sector coverage including tech, renewable energy, and regulated industries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Carbon_Acc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carbon Accountancy