What James Scott does

James Scott is a chartered certified accountancy firm (legal entity: James Scott (Accounting) LLP, registered in England & Wales, Company Registration Number OC439025) that has operated continuously since 1984 from its base in Oldham, Greater Manchester, with additional operating presence in Middleton. The firm is led by two FCCA-qualified partners, Matthew Taylor and Brendan Fitzpatrick, supported by a team of approximately ten, including MAAT-qualified client accountants, a practice manager, an apprentice and administrative staff. It is regulated by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for investment business activities and has been a Xero Platinum partner since 2011 after identifying cloud accounting as its strategic platform choice.

The firm delivers a full stack of compliance and advisory services to owner-managed businesses and individuals across the United Kingdom, with particular concentration in the North West of England. Core offerings include year-end accounts preparation, bookkeeping, self-assessment, VAT and Making Tax Digital compliance, payroll (delivered via Payroll Sorted), R&D tax credits, tax planning, virtual finance director services, business planning, and finance/funding facilitation through its Swoop Funding partnership. Sector specialisation covers construction, e-commerce (with deep integrations to Amazon, Shopify, eBay and A2X), food and hospitality, IT and technology, landlords, manufacturing, and retail.

Revenue is generated primarily through fixed-fee recurring compliance engagements and project-based advisory retainers, supplemented by referral fees from finance introductions. Go-to-market is sales-led but increasingly content-led, combining discovery-call conversion, a 211+ post blog, gated eBooks, Tax Card publications, social media on LinkedIn and Instagram, and local SEO targeting the Oldham and Manchester market. The firm was named a finalist in the Xero Awards 2024 'Small Firm of the Year' category, reflecting its positioning as a digitally mature, sector-focused small practice.

Name

James Scott

Legal name

James Scott (Accounting) LLP

Website

https://jamesscott.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

James Scott is a chartered certified accountancy LLP founded in 1984 in Oldham, serving UK owner-managed businesses and individuals across seven verticals with compliance, tax, payroll, advisory and funding services via the Xero cloud platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Accounting Services: Ongoing compliance and advisory services including accounts preparation, tax returns, VAT returns, and payroll management. Delivered as recurring engagements with regular client touchpoints throughout the year.
2. Advisory and Consulting Services: Business planning, management accounts, virtual finance director services, tax planning, R&D tax credit advisory, and strategic financial guidance. One-time project engagements and ongoing advisory retainers.
3. Finance Arrangement Services: Referral and facilitation services for business funding through Swoop Funding partnership. Revenue generated from introductions to finance providers rather than direct lending.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

James Scott is a chartered certified accountancy firm providing year-end accounts preparation, bookkeeping, tax planning, payroll, VAT, management accounts, R&D tax credits, and Virtual Finance Director services for owner-managed businesses, sector specialists (construction, eCommerce, manufacturing, retail, IT/tech, hospitality, landlords), startups, and individuals. The firm delivers services primarily through the Xero Platinum Partner cloud accounting platform and partners with Swoop Funding and Payroll Sorted to provide finance and payroll support.

Product overview

James Scott is a chartered certified accounting firm offering a comprehensive suite of accounting and business services. The firm operates primarily as a service-based consultancy rather than a software product company, delivering services through their team of accountants and via cloud-based accounting platforms. Their core offerings include accounting, bookkeeping, business planning, tax planning, VAT services, payroll, R&D tax credits, and sector-specialist services for construction, ecommerce, hospitality, IT/tech, landlords, manufacturing, and retail. They are Xero Platinum partners and provide online accounting services through Xero, supporting Making Tax Digital compliance. Additional services include Virtual Finance Director support, finance/funding facilitation through Swoop Funding partnerships, and payroll outsourcing via Payroll Sorted.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting Services Core chartered accountancy services including year-end accounts preparation, personal tax returns, tax planning, management finance reports, and Making Tax Digital compliance for sole traders, limited companies, and small businesses.
• Bookkeeping Services Professional bookkeeping including sales invoice processing, purchase invoice management, credit control, bank reconciliations, and cloud-based bookkeeping using Xero and Dext.
• Business Planning Strategic business planning including long-term growth strategy, operational objectives, financial projections, cash flow forecasts, and regular planning sessions.
• Business Startup Services Comprehensive startup accounting services including business plan preparation, company formation, HMRC/Companies House registration, finance applications, and tax planning for new ventures.
• eCommerce Accounting Services Specialist accounting for eCommerce businesses including multi-channel bookkeeping, VAT advice for international sales, dropshipping compliance, FBA reporting, and integration with Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and A2X.
• Finance and Funding Services Access to finance solutions through partnership with Swoop Funding including unsecured loans, asset finance, term loans, startup loans, invoice finance, R&D tax credit loans, grants, and equity funding from over 1,000 lenders.
• Management Accounts Services Monthly or quarterly management account preparation including P&L, balance sheets, cashflow statements, KPI analysis, variance analysis, and strategic financial decision support.
• Payroll Services Outsourced payroll services via Payroll Sorted partnership including full payroll processing, auto-enrolment, pension administration, compliance management, and HMRC-recognised software with automation and MFA.
• R&D Tax Services Research and development tax credit claims for SMEs and large companies, including SME scheme (230% deduction), RDEC for larger businesses, and merged scheme guidance.
• Self Assessment Services Self assessment tax return preparation and filing for individuals, sole traders, and partnerships, including tax calculation, deadline management, record retention advice, and HMRC enquiry representation.
• Tax Planning Services Corporate and personal tax efficiency planning including corporation tax relief, R&D tax credits, capital allowances, IR35 advice, and tax loss optimisation strategies.
• VAT Services VAT accounting including registration, returns preparation, partial exemption management, VAT scheme advice (Flat Rate, Cash Accounting), Making Tax Digital compliance, and HMRC investigation support.
• Virtual Finance Director Services Part-time finance director services providing strategic financial insights, monthly/quarterly management meetings, budgets, forecasts, and pre year-end tax planning reviews at a fraction of the cost of a full-time FD.
• Online Accounting (Xero) Setup and Training Cloud-based online accounting using Xero software, including Xero Platinum Partner setup, certified adviser training, and ongoing support, with integration access to over 700 third-party applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Xero Awards 2024 Small Firm of the Year finalist recognition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and regulatory.

• XerocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2011Platinum partner status (previously Gold partner) since 2011 when the firm identified cloud-based online accounting as the future. Xero is the primary accounting software platform used with the firm holding Xero Adviser certification. Integrations include Amazon Seller Central, eBay, Shopify, Etsy, and A2X for e-commerce sellers. Over 700 additional apps available through Xero marketplace.
• Payroll SortedsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Payroll Sorted providing confidential and cost-effective end-to-end payroll services including workplace pension administration, auto-enrolment obligations, national minimum wage compliance, and pension administration. Uses HMRC-recognised software with automation and multi-factor authentication.
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)regulatoryOthersRegulated by ACCA for a range of investment business activities in the United Kingdom. The firm displays ACCA accreditation logo and employs ACCA-qualified professionals including partners Matthew Taylor FCCA and Brendan Fitzpatrick FCCA.
• Greater Manchester Chamber of CommercesupportingOthersMember of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, providing networking opportunities and local business community integration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Crowe UK: Top 10 UK chartered accountancy firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and risk services to mid-market and larger SMEs. Comparable professional services firm operating in the same space, but with national scale and broader service portfolio than James Scott's regional focus.
• Mazars UK: Top 10 UK chartered accountancy firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services across all major sectors. Overlaps with James Scott's tax and advisory offerings at the larger mid-market segment but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• TC Group: UK top 30 accountancy group with a network of regional offices serving owner-managed businesses, SMEs, and individuals with compliance, tax, and advisory services. Comparable regional chartered practice model with multi-office reach.
• Haines Watts: UK mid-tier chartered accountancy firm with regional offices serving owner-managed businesses, SMEs, and not-for-profits. Directly comparable business model, client base, and full-service accounting/advisory offering to James Scott, but at materially larger scale.
• MHA MacIntyre Hudson: UK top 20 chartered accountancy firm with strong regional office network, providing accounting, audit, tax, and advisory services to SMEs and mid-market clients. Closely comparable chartered practice model with broader scale and multi-office reach.
• Moore Kingston Smith: UK top 30 chartered accountancy firm based in London and the South East, providing accounting, tax, audit, and advisory services to SMEs, entrepreneurs, and not-for-profits. Comparable chartered practice model with similar sector specialism and SMB client focus.
• Crunch Accounting: UK cloud-based accounting firm providing bookkeeping, tax, and compliance services to freelancers, contractors, and SMBs via online platforms. Comparable as a UK-focused accountancy practice competing for similar owner-managed business clients, though more digitally native and tech-led than James Scott.
• Bishop Fleming: Top 30 UK chartered accountancy firm with regional offices across the South West and Wales, serving SMEs and owner-managed businesses with compliance, tax, and advisory services. Comparable regional chartered accountancy model with similar sector focus and client profile.
• Kreston Reeves: UK top 30 chartered accountancy firm with regional offices in the South East, providing accounting, tax, and advisory to SMEs, owner-managed businesses, and not-for-profits. Similar regional chartered practice model with comparable client segments.

Emerging players

• Coconut: UK digital banking and accounting app for freelancers and sole traders, offering self-serve bookkeeping, tax estimation, and invoicing. Adjacent competitor targeting a subset of James Scott's SMB client base with a more product-led, lower-touch model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/james-scott
• Instagraminstagram.com/jscottcca

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 James Scott