The first thing contractors usually think of when looking for an accountant is to find a local ‘high street’ company, but they are rarely specialist contractor accountants, so may not have knowledge of specific schemes which can benefit you as a contractor.
There are also telephone and Internet-based contractor accountants, however, we have always felt it's far better for clients to have their own accountant that they can meet up with even if it's just once a year to discuss their business and personal financial goals.
Tax is complicated and sometimes there is simply no substitute for meeting with your accountant face to face.
Sure we could cut costs and reduce fees by closing offices and going telephone/internet only but this would ultimately reduce the level of service we provide. It's also interesting that most telephone and internet only companies aren't really that different in price anyway.
If you're just starting out contracting in Leeds, find below a few details which you might find helpful.
Caroola is the UK's largest firm of contractor accountants providing tax advice to over 15,000 contractors, all of whom work through their own limited company.
We have offices in Leeds and across the UK and have won more awards for customer service and accounting excellence than any other firm in the contractor accountant sector, including three Accountancy Age Awards, six Contractor UK 'Best Contractor Accountant' reader Awards and two National Customer Service Awards.
Leeds is the commercial financial and cultural heart of West Yorkshire, it's one of the largest centres for UK financial services, legal and business outside of London. It's a city for the ambitious, and now aims to become the capital of the North, with a 24 hour ‘European city economy’.
With a vibrant population that includes many different groups and cultures, Leeds is a very lively place in which to live and work. With manufacturing and mining at its heart, the city was once one of the industrial powerhouses of the North. And after a downturn on the 1980s, it is now rapidly progressing again with an especially strong service sector.
Typical rates of pay for contractors in Leeds do of course vary depending on individual experience, but as an example, an IT project manager might expect to achieve a rate of £380 per day, whilst a specialist programmer with a sought-after skill set could achieve rates of £420 per day. Most UK-wide recruitment agencies carry a number of Yorkshire-based contractor jobs, so try all the usual options and then search for Leeds specifically and the industry sector that you are interested in.
It’s also worth keeping an eye out in the local papers, with the best read being the Yorkshire Evening Post and the Yorkshire Post. There are also a number of specialist local job websites including leedsjobs.net.
There are a number of developments happening in Leeds which will provide opportunities for contractors in many sectors over the coming months and years. Some of these include:
On the downside, Leeds still holds a reputation as an ‘industrial, working-class city’ and indeed some of the areas around the centre are still being developed. But on the upside, it has an extremely vibrant nightlife, excellent shopping, a lower cost of living and beautiful countryside right on the doorstep.
For information on other regional contracting guides, see the links below (we will be adding more guides over time):
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Appointing an accountant can save you time and stress when starting up on your own. If you would like to speak to someone about any of the above information or any other queries you may have, arrange a callback and a member of the team will be in touch.
If you're already a client of ours, you can speak to your dedicated accountant directly.
Monday - Friday (9am to 5pm)