The Company Formation UK

What The Company Formation UK does

The Company Formation UK operates as Debitam, a trading name of Online Account Filing Limited (registered in England & Wales, company number 11422187), and is a UK-based digital accounting and tax filing firm headquartered in London at 42-44 Bishopsgate. The firm serves small UK limited companies, sole traders, landlords, and dormant companies with a fully digital, online-only delivery model — all client interactions occur remotely via a secure document portal, phone, and email, with no office visits required. The core proposition is transparent per-engagement pricing: Company Accounts & Tax Return Filing is priced at £399+VAT with a 3–5 working day standard turnaround, Dormant Company Accounts at £80+VAT, and an optional Express 24-Hour Filing add-on at £99, alongside ancillary VAT, payroll, bookkeeping, self-assessment, confirmation statement, and tax planning services. The firm has served 26,000+ companies cumulatively since inception and carries a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating across 6,131+ reviews.

The technology stack is built on cloud-based accounting workflows leveraging HMRC-approved Making Tax Digital (MTD) compatible third-party software — Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent — combined with proprietary elements including a GDPR-safe document portal for client-accountant document exchange and in-house iXBRL accounts preparation capability to meet digital submission requirements for HMRC and Companies House. The firm has formalized GDPR Data Controller compliance and is positioned for the HMRC MTD for Income Tax regime effective April 2026.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market: customers engage through the website, request callbacks via online forms, and complete a self-service digital intake. Marketing is content-driven, anchored by an SEO blog, tax calculators, HMRC letter guidance, and a multi-platform social presence (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube). Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time per-filing fees with no monthly subscriptions or hourly billing — a model that yields recurring annual demand by virtue of UK statutory filing cadences but does not lock in multi-year contracts. The firm is privately held with no disclosed parent company, external investors, or funding rounds.

Name

The Company Formation UK

Legal name

Online Account Filing Limited

Website

https://thecompanyformationuk.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Company Formation UK (operating as Debitam) is an online UK accounting and tax filing firm serving small limited companies, sole traders, landlords, and dormant companies with per-engagement filings from £399+VAT via MTD-compatible digital workflows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Company Accounts & Tax Return Filing: One-time filing fees for limited company annual accounts and corporation tax return (CT600) preparation and submission to HMRC and Companies House. Includes draft review and approval process before final submission.
2. Express Filing Service: Premium 24-hour turnaround service with guaranteed submission to Companies House and HMRC for urgent deadlines, charged as an add-on fee.
3. Additional Accounting Services: Optional additional services including VAT returns, payroll, bookkeeping, confirmation statements, and tax planning advice offered on periodic or per-engagement basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Company Formation UK provides fully digital, online accounting and tax filing services to UK small businesses, limited companies, and sole traders. Core offerings include preparation and submission of annual company accounts and CT600 corporation tax returns to HMRC and Companies House, dormant company accounts, VAT returns and bookkeeping, payroll, self-assessment tax returns, confirmation statements, tax planning advice, and limited company formation. Pricing is transparent and one-off (e.g., £399+VAT for company accounts and tax returns, £80+VAT for dormant companies, £99 add-on for express 24-hour filing), with a dedicated account manager and unlimited advice included with every filing.

Product overview

Debitam is an online accounting and tax filing firm for UK small businesses and limited companies, operating as a trading name of Online Account Filing Limited. The offering is a unified digital accountancy service that combines company accounts and tax return filing, VAT and bookkeeping, payroll, self-assessment, and confirmation statement services into a single online platform. Core products include Company Accounts & Tax Return Filing (from £399+VAT), Dormant Company Accounts (£80), VAT & Bookkeeping, Payroll, Self-Assessment Tax Return, Confirmation Statements, and Tax Planning Advice. An optional Express 24-Hour Filing add-on is available for urgent filings at £99 extra. The firm works across all HMRC-approved Making Tax Digital compatible accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Company Accounts and Tax Return Filing Online preparation and HMRC/Companies House submission of limited company annual accounts and CT600 corporation tax returns, with a standard 3-5 working day turnaround. A dedicated account manager and unlimited advice are included in the one-off fee. Targeted at UK small limited companies needing annual statutory compliance.
• Dormant Company Accounts Preparation and filing of dormant company accounts for UK companies that are registered but not actively trading. Priced at £80+VAT for affordable minimum-cost compliance.
• Online Accounting Services Digital online accounting services delivered to small UK businesses and limited companies, working across MTD-compatible accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent). Provides ongoing accounting support managed remotely via the firm's secure digital portal.
• VAT and Bookkeeping Services VAT return preparation and filing plus bookkeeping services using MTD-compatible software to automate VAT reports and accounts. Targeted at small UK businesses needing regular compliance support.
• Payroll Payroll processing service for micro and small UK businesses, including PAYE scheme management under HMRC's Real Time Information (RTI) requirements.
• Self-Assessment Tax Return Filing Preparation and electronic filing of SA100 personal self-assessment tax returns for self-employed individuals, sole traders, and landlords in the UK.
• Confirmation Statement Services Preparation and filing of annual confirmation statements to Companies House for UK limited companies to maintain statutory compliance.
• Tax Planning Advice Tax planning advice services providing guidance on allowable expenses, corporation tax, and HMRC compliance for UK small businesses and limited companies.
• Limited Company Formation Company formation service for setting up UK limited companies, providing the foundational incorporation service that anchors the firm's compliance offering.
• Sole Trader Services Accounting and tax filing services tailored for UK sole traders and self-employed individuals, addressing their personal compliance obligations.
• Express 24-Hour Filing Service Premium express filing service guaranteeing submission of company accounts to Companies House and HMRC within 24 hours, offered as a £99 add-on for clients facing imminent filing deadlines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26,000+ companies served
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationMTD-compatible accounting software partner. Debitam's team works across all HMRC-approved Making Tax Digital compatible software, including Xero, enabling flexibility for clients who prefer this platform for their accounting needs.
• QuickBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationMTD-compatible accounting software partner. Debitam's team works across all HMRC-approved Making Tax Digital compatible software, including QuickBooks, enabling flexibility for clients who prefer this platform for their accounting needs.
• FreeAgentcoreTechnology or IntegrationMTD-compatible accounting software partner. Debitam's team works across all HMRC-approved Making Tax Digital compatible software, including FreeAgent, enabling flexibility for clients who prefer this platform for their accounting needs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TaxCalc: UK tax and accounts preparation software used by accountants and small firms to prepare CT600, SA and company accounts submissions — competes in the same HMRC/Companies House filing workflow.
• Clear Books: UK cloud accounting software and bundled accountant support for small businesses and sole traders — overlaps Debitam on accounting software, VAT/MTD workflows and SMB target market.
• Crunch Accounting: UK online accountancy focused on freelancers, contractors and small limited companies with packaged annual accounts and tax filing — same target customer, same core service, same online-only delivery model.
• Countingup: UK fintech offering a business current account with built-in accounting and tax features for sole traders and small limited companies — competing for the same self-employed and micro-business segment via a digital-first proposition.
• Accounts and Legal: UK online marketplace connecting small businesses with accountants and bookkeepers for annual accounts, tax returns and payroll — same SMB compliance use cases as Debitam, distributed via a digital channel.
• RIFT Tax (RIFT Accounting): UK firm offering tax refund, self-assessment and small business accounting services online — overlaps Debitam on self-assessment and SMB compliance filings.
• 1st Contact: Long-standing UK online accountant targeting small limited companies and contractors with annual accounts, tax returns and formation services — directly overlapping Debitam's core SMB filing proposition.

Others

• FreeAgent: UK-focused cloud accounting platform for small businesses and accountants, currently a core technology integration partner for Debitam; also acts as an adjacent/competing solution for end customers.

Broad incumbents

• Xero: Global cloud accounting platform with strong UK SMB penetration and an accountant partner program; competes with Debitam by enabling rival accountants and increasingly offering in-house advisory features.
• QuickBooks (Intuit): Global incumbent accounting platform with a UK accountant directory and self-serve SMB offering; competes with Debitam via both software and bundled accountant services for the same limited company and sole trader segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OAFUK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJA_ydCV6zHvbB9uAzhZLNQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-company-formation-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/debitam_accountants

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 The Company Formation UK