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Where we work

Manchester. London. Wherever your agency is based.

Remote-firstUK-wide clientsIn-person when it matters
alto.

ACCA accountants for UK creative and marketing agencies. Specialists in agency cash flow, retainer math, and director tax planning.

Alto Accounting Ltd86–90 Paul Street
London EC2A 4NE
Company No. 15343741
Registered practice

Services

  • Bookkeeping
  • Tax Planning
  • Payroll
  • Outsourced FD
  • Xero Accounting
  • R&D Tax Credits
  • VAT Returns
  • Small Agencies

Free tools

  • Salary Calculator
  • R&D Tax Calculator
  • Profitability Calculator
  • Runway Calculator
  • IR35 Checker
  • VAT Calculator
  • Tax Deadlines Calendar

Agency types

  • PPC Agencies
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  • Web Design Agencies
  • Digital Marketing
  • Video Production
  • Branding Agencies
  • PR & Comms
  • Social Media Agencies
  • Creative Studios
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  • Content Creators
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  • View All Services →

Popular guides

  • Director Salary 2026/27
  • Dubai Relocation Guide
  • Agency Profitability Guide
  • Creator Tax Checklist
  • UAE Expat Tax Checklist
  • View All Guides →

Comparisons

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Locations

  • London
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Company

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Agency tax brief

Practical finance for UK agency founders

Monthly. Deadlines, quick wins, nothing fluffy.

© 2026 Alto Accounting Ltd
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PricingBook a call
Run monthly
Monthly reportingCash flow forecastingOutsourced FDYear-end accounts
Tax & compliance
Tax planningPayrollR&D tax creditsVATXero accounting
Featured
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The monthly close

How we close your books

A signed-off report by working day 10 — P&L, cash position, and what matters this month.

See how we close
By agency type
Creative studiosPaid-media agenciesDigital marketingBranding agenciesContent creatorsSee all agency types
By situation
Small agencies
Why specialist
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Specialist vs generalist

Why a specialist?

Generalist accountants miss what matters for agencies: WIP, utilisation, retainer deferrals, and the rhythm of project work.

Read the case
Calculators
Salary & dividendAgency profitabilityAgency runwayIR35 status checkerR&D tax creditVAT registrationSRT day counterAll tools
Free guides
£
Most read

The agency cash-flow guide

A practical playbook for surviving a slow month: forecast, runway, retainer math, and where founders usually break.

Open the guide
Run a better agency
Agency profitabilityPricing strategyUtilisation rateRetainer pricingValuation & exit
Tax & compliance
Salary & dividend 2026/27IR35 for agenciesSole trader vs limitedMaking Tax DigitalSelf-assessment 2026All articles
Featured
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Latest

Autumn Budget 2025

What Rachel Reeves' Budget changes mean for UK agency owners and small businesses — the items worth acting on.

Read the breakdown
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Book a 15-minute call
Replies in 24 hours, usually same dayhello@alto-accounting.com
Home/Free consultation
Free financial health check

15 minutes. We'll tell you what's working.

A no-obligation call with a chartered accountant who already understands agency business models. Find out if you're leaving money on the table — and what to do about it.

Book your free callhello@alto-accounting.com
15-minute video call · No prep required
ACCA chartered certified accountant
No sales pitch · No obligation to switch
DocDirect line · Live
£DIRECT LINEREPLIES IN 24H
Replies within 24 hours · Usually same day
Quick read

TL;DR — Free financial health check

  • 👥For UK agency founders, FDs, and ops leads running agencies with £200k–£5m revenue.Agency-specific
  • 🔍Covers tax efficiency, cash flow, compliance (VAT/PAYE/CT), and growth recommendations.4 areas
  • ⏱️15-minute video call with a chartered accountant. No prep required.15 mins
  • 📋You leave with 2–3 specific, actionable recommendations you can apply immediately.Actionable
  • 🆓No obligation, no hard sell, no requirement to switch accountants afterwards.Free
Quick reference · keep reading for the full breakdown
01What we'll cover

Four checks. Specific recommendations.

Where most agencies leave money on the table — tax efficiency, cash flow, compliance, and growth.

£

Tax efficiency review

Are you paying more tax than you need to? We'll review your salary and dividend split and identify quick wins.

01

Cash flow assessment

We'll look at how retainer income, project fees, and media passthrough affect your cash position.

02

Compliance check

VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax deadlines. We'll flag anything that needs attention before it becomes a problem.

03

Growth recommendations

Practical next steps to improve your agency's financial health, whether that's R&D credits, pension contributions, or restructuring.

04
02What to expect

No script. No sales pitch.

  • A 15-minute video call at a time that suits you
  • Honest assessment of your current setup
  • Specific recommendations you can act on immediately
  • No obligation and no hard sell — just useful advice
On the desk

Before you book — key takeaways

  • 1Who this is for. UK agency founders, finance directors, and ops leads running marketing, creative, digital, recruitment, or PR agencies with revenue between £200k and £5m. Also UK expats based in the UAE who need cross-border tax advice.
  • 2What you leave with. 2–3 specific, actionable recommendations you can apply immediately — whether that's a salary/dividend adjustment, a cash flow change, a compliance fix, or a structural decision like incorporation or group reorganisation.
  • 3No commitment required. You don't have to switch accountants. Many agencies we speak to stay with their existing accountant and just apply the recommendations. Others ask us to quote for specific pieces of work.
  • 4The speciality. We work exclusively with UK agencies and UK expats in the UAE. That means we already understand retainers, media passthrough, utilisation, project margins, DAC7 reporting, the Statutory Residence Test, and the post-non-dom-abolition rules from 6 April 2025.
  • 5What to have ready. Nothing formal. Roughly knowing your annual revenue, your current salary/dividend split, your VAT status, and your single biggest finance question is enough to get value from the call.
03Questions

Common questions.

Everything you need to know before booking a free call.

What happens on the free financial health check call?
A 15-minute video call with a chartered accountant who specialises in UK agencies. We review your current salary/dividend split, cash flow position, VAT and PAYE compliance, and flag any quick wins or upcoming deadlines. You leave with specific, actionable recommendations you can apply immediately, whether you work with us or not.
How long is the consultation?
The call is 15 minutes. That is enough time to review your setup, answer your biggest questions, and give you 2-3 specific recommendations. If a deeper review is needed afterwards, we will say so — but there is no obligation to book anything further.
Who is the free consultation for?
UK agency founders, finance directors, and ops leads running marketing, creative, digital, recruitment, or PR agencies with revenue between £200k and £5m. The call is most useful if you have at least one agency-specific question in mind.
Do I have to switch accountants after the consultation?
No. The call is genuinely free and has no strings attached. Many of the agencies we speak to stay with their current accountant and just apply the recommendations. Others ask us to quote for specific work (Self Assessment, year-end accounts, advisory). Either way is fine.
Is the call really free with no sales pressure?
Yes. We run these calls because most UK agencies we eventually work with came to us during a cash flow or tax crisis that could have been prevented with 15 minutes of advice 6 months earlier. There is no sales pitch — we explain what we see, give you recommendations, and answer any questions. You choose what to do next.
What should I prepare before the call?
Nothing formal. It helps if you know roughly your annual revenue, your current salary and dividend split (if you are a director), your VAT status, and the single biggest finance question on your mind right now. If you have management accounts or a recent P&L to hand that is useful, but not required.
Replies in 24 hours, usually same day
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