Short answer: if you're pre-revenue, probably not yet, but you should still be talking to one. Here's how to tell the difference, and what to put in place in the meantime so you're not caught out later.
The three triggers that actually mean you need one
Most founders overthink this. In practice, there are three clear signals that it's time to properly engage an accountant rather than just having a chat with one.
You're approaching the VAT threshold. This sits at £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year or your accounting year, which is the detail that catches people out. If you go over it, you have 30 days to notify HMRC, and once registered you must keep digital records and file quarterly through Making Tax Digital software. GOV.UK's own guidance on this is genuinely clear and worth reading directly:
Government Digital Service
You're taking on your first employee. Payroll, PAYE and pension auto-enrolment all kick in the moment you have staff, even part time, and getting this wrong has real penalties attached. This is the point most founders find doing it themselves stops being worth the time saved.
Your qualifying income is heading past the Making Tax Digital thresholds. If you're a sole trader or landlord, MTD for Income Tax becomes mandatory once your gross self-employment and property income passes £50,000 from April 2026, dropping to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. Past that point, one annual tax return is replaced with quarterly digital updates through approved software, so it's worth knowing which threshold applies to you well before it does. HMRC's own breakdown is here:
HM Revenue & Customs
If none of these apply to you yet, you don't need to be paying someone monthly. What you do need is a system.
What to use instead right now
This is where most pre-revenue founders either do nothing and create a mess for later, or panic and hire too early. Neither is necessary. A proper cloud accounting tool does the job for a fraction of the cost, and sets you up so that whenever you do bring an accountant on board, your records are already clean.
Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent are the three most commonly used in the UK, and all three are MTD-compatible, meaning they'll still be usable once VAT or Income Tax digital requirements apply to you. FreeAgent is worth flagging specifically if you bank with NatWest, RBS or Mettle, since it's included free with those business accounts. QuickBooks and Xero both offer simplified starter tiers built for exactly this stage, letting you log income and expenses, send invoices and keep a digital paper trail without needing to understand double-entry bookkeeping. Set one up now, even before you've made a sale, and every proper conversation you have with an accountant later starts from a much stronger position.
Why it's still worth talking to one before any of this applies
Most accountants will give you a free initial conversation, typically thirty minutes to an hour, before you're a paying client. Use it. A good one will tell you how to structure things from day one, what counts as a deductible expense, and whether your specific situation (visa reporting requirements included, if that applies to you) needs anything unusual. You're not committing to anything by having this conversation, and it means the moment one of the three triggers above does hit, you're not starting from zero.
What to watch for
Be wary of anyone pushing a signed retainer before they've properly understood your business, or being vague about what their fees actually cover. Ask directly whether they've worked with founders on your specific visa route before, since generic small business advice doesn't always map cleanly onto visa reporting requirements.
Where to find one
AC Accountancy Services works specifically with international entrepreneurs building businesses in the UK, and is part of our recommended supplier network. You'll find their profile alongside the rest of our vetted suppliers, covering everything from banking to HR, in our support services directory:
Richard Harrison
Richard Harrison
A few words from our Comms & Socials Lead Harriet - "This was a total minefield when I started my own photography business four years ago — I had no idea what counted as a business expense. I followed HMRC and Gov.uk guidance at first, then logged everything myself in QuickBooks for a few months before taking the leap to hire an accountant. Best decision I've ever made! My advice: ask around for recommendations, and once you find an accountant you trust, stick with them. Good luck!"
