Best Accountants in North Shields

Whether you are self-employed, run a growing business, or simply want your tax return handled properly, a good accountant pays for themselves many times over in tax saved, time freed up and worry avoided. North Shields has a solid choice of firms, from modern cloud-focused chartered accountants to long-established town-centre practices, serving the town's many small businesses and sole traders. Here is a guide to the local accountants and how to choose the right one.

It is worth choosing a firm that is a member of one of the recognised professional bodies, chiefly the ICAEW (chartered accountants) or ACCA (chartered certified accountants), or the AAT for accounting technicians. Membership means qualified staff, ongoing training, professional indemnity insurance and a complaints process, and lets you check the firm's standing independently.

What to check before you appoint

Be clear about what you need, whether that is annual accounts and a tax return, or ongoing bookkeeping, payroll and management figures through the year. Ask how fees are charged, a fixed monthly fee, a fixed annual fee, or by the hour, and what is and is not included. It is also worth asking who your day-to-day contact will be, and whether the firm uses cloud accounting software such as Xero or QuickBooks, which can make sharing information much easier.

Blu Sky Chartered Accountants

Blu Sky Chartered Accountants is an ICAEW-registered firm at Ye Olde Hundred on Church Way, covering accounts and tax alongside cloud accounting, payroll, and business advice and growth work, with a modern, technology-led approach.

Good for ambitious small businesses. Its emphasis on cloud accounting and proactive business advice suits growing owner-managed firms that want more than year-end compliance.

HJ Accountants

HJ Accountants, formally Hurren & Jubb, is a long-established ICAEW-registered firm at Protection House on Albion Road, covering annual and management accounts, bookkeeping, payroll, VAT and tax returns, along with finance-director-style support.

Good for a dependable local firm. With decades of trading behind the name and a settled town-centre base, it is a reliable choice for local businesses and the self-employed.

Moore Bennett

Moore Bennett is a firm of accountants and tax advisors at Hotspur House on East Percy Street, covering accounts, tax, payroll, VAT and bookkeeping, along with support for cloud accounting software.

Good for sole traders and small companies. As a local independent with a town-centre base, it suits small businesses and the self-employed who want an accountant they can sit down with.

How to choose the right firm

• Check professional membership (ICAEW, ACCA or AAT) and ask what qualifications the people doing your work hold.
• Match the firm to your needs. A sole trader wanting a tax return has different needs from a company that needs monthly management accounts.
• Understand the fees. Ask for a fixed quote where possible and confirm exactly what it covers, including whether queries through the year are included.
• Ask about software. A firm working with cloud accounting can save you hours and give you a clearer, real-time picture of your finances.

A good accountant becomes a long-term adviser, not just a once-a-year service, so it is worth choosing one you can build a relationship with as your business grows.

Looking for a firm we have missed? Get in touch.