gbac

What gbac does

GBAC is a UK-based chartered accountancy and business consultancy firm headquartered in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, founded in 1970 and operating as GBAC Ltd. The firm is female-led, co-owned by Directors Marie Lang (FCA, FCCA) and Corinna Humphries (FCCA, CTA), and operates with approximately 34 professionals spanning accountants, auditors, tax specialists, payroll experts, company secretarial staff, practice support, and wills and probate practitioners. GBAC serves sole traders, SMEs, academies and multi-academy trusts, large corporations, and PLCs across the UK from a single Barnsley office, with service delivery enabled remotely via cloud technology.

The firm delivers eleven core service lines: accounting/bookkeeping/VAT, tax consultancy (including R&D relief, patent box, EIS/SEIS), external and internal audit and assurance, corporate finance, payroll, company secretarial, business valuations, service charge accounts, and probate/will services. Its technology foundation rests on a Gold Partner relationship with Xero for cloud accounting, a BSI-certified internal audit capability, and a virtual finance department model. GBAC holds ACCA registered auditor status, Investors in People Platinum, B Corp certification (July 2024), and CILEX-ACCA Probate Entity authorisation via its wholly-owned subsidiary GBAC Estates & Probate Services Limited.

Revenue is generated entirely through professional service fees billed to clients, with no disclosed pricing for most services beyond probate (fixed-fee schedule published). The go-to-market is sales-led and direct: clients engage via phone, email, website form, or in-person at the Barnsley office, supported by SEO-targeted location pages, content marketing via blog, organic LinkedIn/Facebook presence, and prominent client testimonials. The firm shows no external institutional investment and operates on a self-funded, owner-managed basis, with no M&A activity, no IPO, and no public funding rounds disclosed.

Name

gbac

Legal name

GBAC Ltd

Website

https://gbac.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GBAC is a UK-based, female-led accountancy and business consultancy firm in Barnsley, founded in 1970, providing accounting, tax, audit, corporate finance, payroll, secretarial, valuation, service charge, and probate services to sole traders, SMEs, multi-academy trusts, and larger corporations across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnsley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 and Bookkeeping Services: GBAC provides a comprehensive range of financial and business support services including accounting, bookkeeping, VAT returns, management accounts, and financial controller services. Revenue is generated through fees for these ongoing professional services delivered to businesses of all sizes from sole traders to large corporations and PLCs.
2. Tax Consultancy Services: Tax advisory and planning services including corporation tax returns, R&D tax relief, patent box claims, EIS/SEIS fundraising advice, capital allowances, tax-efficient structures and exits, and taxation of property owners and landlords. Revenue generated through professional fees for advisory and compliance services.
3. Audit and Assurance Services: External audit and assurance services registered with ACCA, including statutory audits for companies and charities, assurance reports, and independent examinations. Internal audit and assurance services certified by BSI. Revenue through audit fees.
4. Corporate Finance Services: Partner-led corporate finance service covering raising debt and equity finance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), succession planning, and exit planning. Revenue generated through advisory and transaction fees.
5. Payroll Services: Outsourced payroll function covering weekly or monthly payrolls, auto-enrolment, RTI reporting, PAYE, NI, SSP, SMP, SAP, statutory forms, customised payslips, and CIS reporting. Billed as professional service fees.
6. Company Secretarial Services: Company formation, annual compliance service, processing changes (shares, directors, secretaries), and company searches. Revenue through filing and advisory fees.
7. Business Valuation Services: Business valuations for exit planning, succession, tax/accounting, divorce/probate, and share calculations. Team certified in ACCA and CSOEC Certificate in Business Valuations, with access to a market-leading global transaction database.
8. Service Charge Accounts: Preparation of service charge accounts and statutory accounts for managing agents and leaseholders of single and multi-schedule residential and commercial developments.
9. Probate and Will Services: Probate application services, estate administration, Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration, IHT planning, and will writing. GBAC Estates & Probate Services Limited is authorised and regulated by CILEx Regulation as a probate entity. Revenue through fixed fee schedules and hourly rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GBAC is a UK-based accounting and business consultancy firm based in Barnsley, established in 1970, that delivers accounting, bookkeeping, VAT, tax consultancy, audit and assurance, corporate finance, payroll, company secretarial, business valuations, service charge accounts, and probate/will services to sole traders, SMEs, large corporations, PLCs, academies, and property management companies. The firm operates as a B Corp-certified, Xero Gold Partner practice offering a holistic single-firm alternative across compliance and advisory needs.

Product overview

GBAC is an accountancy and business consultancy firm providing a comprehensive suite of financial services. Their offering is organized as a unified practice with multiple service lines including Accounting/Bookkeeping/VAT (using Xero cloud software), Tax Consultancy, External and Internal Audit and Assurance, Corporate Finance, Payroll Services, Company Secretarial, Business Valuations, Service Charge Accounts, and Probate/Will Services. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a modular software platform, offering holistic advisory services alongside compliance and assurance work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting and Bookkeeping

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of employees working a 4-day week as of 31 March 2024 (71% in 2023), resulting in 6% reduction in travel time, travel costs, and emissions from car travel
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationGBAC is a Gold Partner with Xero, the leading cloud accounting software. This partnership enables GBAC to provide cloud-based bookkeeping, VAT returns, and financial management solutions to clients. The partnership is central to GBAC's technology-enabled service delivery model and differentiates the firm's approach to client financial management through real-time, interactive information.
• British Standards Institution (BSI)supportingTechnology or IntegrationGBAC's internal audit team is certified by BSI to provide Internal Audit Assurance Services on Quality Management Systems. BSI certification validates the quality and credibility of GBAC's internal audit service offering.
• The Society of Will WriterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBAC is a member of The Society of Will Writers, the leading self-regulatory body for Professional Estate Planners. Membership enables GBAC to offer will writing services as part of its holistic estate planning offering.
• Low Carbon / Net Zero Barnsley ProgrammesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBAC partnered with the Low Carbon/Net Zero Barnsley Programme to calculate its own carbon impact, extend focus to Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and access tools and funding support for emissions reduction.
• SY MCA Net Zero ProgrammesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBAC partnered with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SY MCA) Net Zero Programme as part of its climate action commitment and net zero journey.
• Low Carbon Business Support ProgrammesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBAC engaged a consultant through the Low Carbon Business Support Programme to assist with measuring and reducing carbon emissions as part of its net zero commitment.
• Small Business Sustainability Basics ProgrammesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBAC participated in The Small Business Sustainability Basics Programme as part of its initial drive toward net zero, improving knowledge and understanding of sustainability challenges.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Azets: Azets is a UK-headquartered mid-tier accountancy and advisory firm (formerly Cogent, Wilkins Kennedy, Duncan & Toplis and others) offering accounting, audit, tax, payroll, corporate finance, and recovery services to SMEs and mid-market clients. Directly comparable to GBAC as a full-service regional/multi-region UK practice with similar client mix.
• PKF Smith Cooper: PKF Smith Cooper is a UK mid-tier firm offering accounting, audit, tax, corporate finance, and recovery services with strong regional presence in the Midlands and East Midlands. Comparable to GBAC for full-service offerings and regional mid-market focus.
• Moore Kingston Smith: Moore Kingston Smith is a UK top-30 accountancy firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and corporate finance services to SMEs, mid-market, and not-for-profit clients. Comparable to GBAC for its full-service mix, regional London/South East base, and SME to mid-market client focus.
• Duncan & Toplis: Duncan & Toplis is a UK regional accountancy firm headquartered in Lincolnshire offering audit, tax, payroll, business advisory, and corporate finance services to SMEs and agricultural clients. Comparable to GBAC as a long-established regional full-service practice with comparable staff size and client profile.
• Barnes Roffe: Barnes Roffe is a UK mid-tier accountancy firm providing audit, tax, bookkeeping, payroll, and corporate finance services primarily to SMEs and owner-managed businesses in London and the South East. Comparable to GBAC for full-service SME focus and similar firm size tier.
• MHA (formerly Macintyre Hudson): MHA is a UK top-20 accountancy and advisory firm providing audit, tax, payroll, corporate finance, and business advisory services to SMEs, mid-market, and listed clients. Highly comparable to GBAC in service mix and mid-market client focus, though larger in scale and broader in geographic reach.
• Crowe UK: Crowe UK is a mid-tier accountancy firm offering audit, tax, advisory, corporate finance, and outsourcing services. Comparable to GBAC for its full-service SME/mid-market focus, statutory audit capability, and presence across UK regions.
• Kreston Reeves: Kreston Reeves is a UK mid-tier accountancy and advisory firm serving SMEs, family businesses, academies, and not-for-profits with accounting, tax, audit, corporate finance, and private client services. Closely comparable to GBAC given its similar multi-service model and SME/mid-market positioning in the regions.

Broad incumbents

• BDO UK: BDO UK is a top-5 UK accountancy and advisory firm offering audit, tax, corporate finance, and consulting across all major service lines and client segments. Provides overlapping capabilities to GBAC's offering but operates at significantly larger scale and serves enterprise/listed clients as its primary focus.
• RSM UK: RSM UK is a top-10 UK audit, tax, and consulting firm serving mid-market, listed, and international clients. Comparable to GBAC in the SME and mid-market audit/tax overlap, but materially larger and serving more complex corporate clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gbacltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gbac
• Xx.com/gbacltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 gbac