Grampian Accounting

What Grampian Accounting does

Grampian Accounting is a privately held, family-owned accountancy practice headquartered in Westhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, founded in 1999 by Eric Bowen. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, payroll, and advisory services to small and medium-sized businesses, sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, contractors, and individuals across the Aberdeen/Grampian region and the wider United Kingdom. Core service lines include annual accounts, corporation tax, bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll administration, self-assessment, company secretarial work, and start-up advisory, supplemented by wealth management advisory, exit and succession planning, and inheritance tax planning. The firm has built particular domain depth in two verticals prominent in its local market: energy industry contractors (offshore oil and gas) requiring IR35 advisory, and construction/trades businesses operating under the HMRC Construction Industry Scheme.

The practice operates on a professional services, fee-for-engagement revenue model, billing clients on a monthly cadence with quote-based pricing rather than published rate cards. Technology is standard third-party rather than proprietary: cloud accounting platforms Xero and QuickBooks are used for client bookkeeping, payroll (the firm is certified in both), and financial reporting, with the marketing website built on WordPress. Differentiating features include a dedicated personal account manager model, HMRC investigation insurance bundled into client engagements, and a secure electronic payslip and payroll data portal. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through website enquiries, phone contact, face-to-face consultations at the Westhill office, and client referrals.

The team numbers approximately 13 individuals, including several members of the Bowen family (founder Eric Bowen plus Val, Glenn, Phill, and Jen Bowen) and ACCA-qualified chartered accountants, with backgrounds spanning subsea industry finance, oil and gas finance, aerospace engineering, and chemical engineering. The firm is wholly privately owned with no external investors, parent company, subsidiaries, or disclosed funding, and has been operating continuously for over 25 years.

Name

Grampian Accounting

Legal name

Grampian Accounting

Website

https://www.grampianaccounting.co.uk/

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grampian Accounting offers wealth management, succession planning, bookkeeping, payroll, business development and tax planning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kintore

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Accounting Services: Grampian Accounting charges fees for a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, and payroll services provided to businesses and individuals. Services include annual accounts preparation, corporation tax, bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll administration, self-assessment tax returns, company secretarial filings, and business advisory. Revenue is derived from professional service fees billed to clients on an ongoing basis, typically through recurring engagements for day-to-day, planning, and compliance work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Grampian Accounting is a traditional accountancy practice providing day-to-day accounting, tax compliance, payroll, and advisory services to sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, contractors, and individuals in the Aberdeen/Grampian region. Core offerings include annual accounts, corporation tax, VAT returns, payroll administration, IR35 contractor support, Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) bookkeeping, personal tax returns, and wealth/succession/inheritance planning, delivered with dedicated account managers and supported by Xero and QuickBooks cloud platforms.

Product overview

Grampian Accounting is a traditional accounting firm offering a comprehensive suite of accounting and advisory services rather than a software product. The core services include Business Services and Accounts (annual accounts, corporation tax, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll), Contractor Accounting Services, Construction and Trades Accounting, Payroll Services, and Personal Tax Services. These are complemented by advisory offerings including Start-Up Business Services, Wealth Management Advisory, Exit and Succession Planning, and Inheritance Planning. The firm operates using industry-standard accounting platforms Xero and QuickBooks, providing services to sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, and individuals across various sectors including construction, energy, and general business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Start-Up Business Services Advisory services for new businesses covering business plan development, operating vehicle selection (sole trader, partnership, or limited company), and implementation of efficient administration systems. Targeted at entrepreneurs and first-time founders.
• Business Services and Accounts Day-to-day accounting for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies including annual accounts processing, corporation tax, bookkeeping, VAT compliance, payroll management, self-assessment, company secretarial, HMRC investigation support, accounting software training and financial reporting.
• Contractor Accounting Services Comprehensive support for contractors and consultants including incorporation, PAYE registration, VAT scheme optimisation, IR35 contract and working practice reviews, expense management, ongoing record-keeping, Companies House filings, annual accounts, salary and dividend planning, and ongoing tax planning. Specialises in energy-sector contractors.
• Construction and Trades Accounting Accounting services for construction industry clients including HMRC Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) compliance, invoice processing, project costing, cloud accounting system implementation, and payroll management for contractors and subcontractors. Serves electricians, plumbers, builders, joiners and similar trades.
• Payroll Services Full-service payroll management including PAYE tax, National Insurance, CIS deductions, statutory payments (sick pay, parental leave), pension scheme administration, bonus schemes, termination payments, electronic payslips delivered via a secure Data Transfer Portal, and HMRC form completion.
• Personal Tax Services Personal tax advisory covering income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax optimisation, together with self-assessment tax return preparation and submission, for individual clients.
• Wealth Management Advisory Financial planning review services to ensure tax-efficient positioning, with referrals to independent financial advisors for pension and investment management.
• Exit and Succession Planning Retirement and business exit strategy planning including sale or family handover considerations and wealth maximisation at retirement.
• Inheritance Planning Inheritance tax planning services to help beneficiaries secure and protect their inheritances through UK tax system optimisation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients report maintaining company financial order with timely payment notifications and ongoing compliance management over multi-year engagements.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Anderson Anderson & Brown (AAB): Aberdeen-headquartered chartered accountancy and advisory firm serving energy, construction, and SME clients. Directly comparable by Aberdeen base, energy/contractor expertise, and service mix spanning compliance and advisory.
• Johnston Carmichael: One of Scotland's largest independent chartered accountancy firms, headquartered in Aberdeen with strong exposure to the energy sector and SMB clients across Grampian. Closely comparable to Grampian by geography, customer segment, and energy industry specialisation, though at substantially larger scale.
• EQ Accountants: Scottish chartered accountancy firm with offices across Aberdeen and the Grampian region, serving owner-managed businesses, contractors, and individuals. Comparable by regional footprint, customer mix, and SMB compliance + advisory service offering.
• Hardie Caldwell: Aberdeen-based chartered accountancy firm serving owner-managed businesses, sole traders, and limited companies in the North-East Scotland market. Comparable by Aberdeen focus, SMB client base, and traditional accountancy service lines.
• Azets: Large UK and Ireland accountancy group with strong Scottish roots and significant Aberdeen presence, serving SMBs, contractors, and construction trades. Comparable by service mix (CIS, IR35, contractor accounting) and regional Scottish SMB market.
• SJD Accountancy: UK specialist contractor and freelance accountancy firm focused on IR35, umbrella vs. limited company advice, and contractor-specific tax optimisation. Comparable by contractor specialisation, though operating nationally rather than locally.
• Nixon Williams: UK contractor and freelancer accountancy firm specialising in IR35, limited company support, and contractor tax planning. Comparable by contractor-focused accounting services and direct-to-consumer GTM motion targeting the same persona.

Broad incumbents

• MHA: Top-20 UK accountancy and advisory network with member firms serving owner-managed businesses, sole traders, and contractors across the UK. Comparable by SMB accountancy service offering and contractor/CIS specialisation.
• Haines Watts: UK-wide chartered accountancy network serving small and medium-sized businesses, contractors, and individuals. Comparable by SMB and contractor focus, though operating at national-network scale rather than a single-region practice.

Regional players

• Ledingham Chalmers: Aberdeen and North-East Scotland chartered accountancy firm serving owner-managed businesses, energy sector clients, and private individuals. Comparable by Aberdeen focus and SMB/contractor service mix, with comparable scale to Grampian Accounting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Grampian Accounting