Catch-Up Bookkeeping for HMRC Deadlines

You're behind on your bookkeeping. Maybe it's been a few months, maybe it's been a year or two. The pile of receipts is growing, your bank statements are stacking up, and HMRC deadlines are getting closer. The good news? You're not alone—and it's fixable.

We specialise in catch-up bookkeeping: taking your backlog (whether it's 3 months or 3 years), organising it, reconciling it, and getting you current before deadlines. Whether you're a sole trader in Medway who's fallen behind on self-assessment records, a limited company in Maidstone facing Companies House penalties, or a contractor in Canterbury struggling with IR35 compliance, we'll bring your books up to date. No judgment, no lectures—just practical help to get you compliant and penalty-free.

What this helps you do (fast)

• Avoid costly HMRC and Companies House penalties — Get your records current before filing deadlines to reduce or eliminate automatic penalties
• Get compliant with minimal stress — We handle the backlog while you focus on your business; no need to take time off to sort through years of paperwork
• Peace of mind before filing — When HMRC deadlines approach, you'll have clean, reconciled books ready—not a panic-inducing pile of receipts
• Clean records for future — Once you're caught up, we can set up monthly or weekly bookkeeping to keep you current going forward
• Reduced risk of HMRC enquiries — Clean, organised records reduce the likelihood of HMRC opening an investigation into your accounts
• Better business decisions — When your books are current, you can see your actual financial position and make informed decisions

How it works

Step-by-step catch-up process:

1. Urgent assessment call — We review your backlog: how many months/years behind, what records you have (receipts, bank statements, invoices), what's missing, and your deadline date. This gives us a realistic timeline and cost estimate. If you're facing an imminent deadline (e.g., 31 January Self Assessment), we'll prioritise you.
2. Record collection & organisation — Send us everything you've got: bank statements, receipts (digital photos are fine), invoices, expense notes, payroll records. We'll organise it chronologically and identify what's missing. If records are incomplete, we'll work with bank statements and help you reconstruct missing transactions.
3. Catch-up bookkeeping — We process your backlog month by month (or year by year if it's been a while): categorise every transaction, reconcile bank statements, match invoices to payments, and build your P&L and balance sheet. We'll flag any anomalies (unmatched transactions, unusual expenses) for your review.
4. Review & corrections — You review the catch-up work, answer any questions about unclear transactions, and approve before we finalise. This is your chance to clarify anything we're uncertain about.
5. Bring current & handover — Once the backlog is done, we bring you current with one final month's work. Then we hand over clean, reconciled books ready for your tax return or accountant. If you want ongoing bookkeeping, we'll set that up too—monthly or weekly—to prevent future backlogs.

Timeline depends on backlog:

• 3–6 months behind: Typically 1–2 weeks
• 6–12 months behind: Typically 2–4 weeks
• 1–2 years behind: Typically 4–8 weeks
• 2+ years behind: Typically 8–12 weeks (or longer for very complex cases)

We work with whatever system you're using: Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, Excel, or even starting from scratch. If you're not on cloud software yet, we'll recommend the best option and handle the setup as part of the catch-up.

Costs & timelines (no surprises)

Pricing factors:

• Backlog size — 3 months costs less than 3 years (obviously)
• Transaction volume — A business with 50 transactions/month costs less than one with 500+/month
• Record completeness — If you've got receipts and invoices organised, it's faster. If we're working mostly from bank statements and reconstructing missing info, it takes longer.
• Complexity — Multi-currency, e-commerce platforms, CIS, crypto, or complex expense structures add time
• Urgency — If you're facing an imminent deadline (within 2 weeks), we may need to work evenings/weekends, which adds a premium

Commonly reported ranges by local providers:

• Catch-up bookkeeping: £50–£100/hour, total cost depends on backlog size
• 3–6 months behind (simple business): £500–£1,500 total
• 6–12 months behind (medium complexity): £1,500–£3,500 total
• 1–2 years behind: £3,500–£6,000 total
• 2+ years behind: £6,000+ (quoted case-by-case)

Why catch-up costs more than ongoing:

• Less efficient (working with historical data, incomplete records, reconstruction)
• More complex (year-end adjustments, missing transactions, anomalies to resolve)
• Time pressure (deadlines mean we can't spread work as efficiently)

But catch-up saves you money by:

• Reducing or eliminating HMRC/Companies House penalties (often £100–£1,500+)
• Preventing interest charges on late tax payments
• Reducing risk of HMRC enquiries (which can be costly and stressful)
• Getting you current so ongoing bookkeeping is cheaper going forward

Timeline: We'll give you an honest estimate after reviewing your backlog. If you're facing an imminent deadline, we'll do everything possible to meet it (though very tight deadlines may require premium pricing for evening/weekend work). Most catch-up work completes within the timelines above, but complex cases (multiple years, incomplete records, multi-entity structures) can take longer.

No hidden fees. All prices exclude VAT. We'll give you a fixed quote after the assessment call, so you know exactly what it'll cost before we start.

Kent (UK) focus

We work with Kent businesses who've fallen behind: sole traders in Medway who've been too busy to keep up with self-assessment records, limited companies in Maidstone facing Companies House filing deadlines, contractors in Canterbury struggling with IR35 compliance, and landlords across Kent managing rental property records.

Kent businesses face the same HMRC deadlines as everyone else—31 January for self-assessment, quarterly VAT returns if you're VAT-registered, Companies House confirmation statements and accounts. The difference is that when you're behind, these deadlines become terrifying. But they don't have to be. We'll assess your backlog honestly, give you a realistic timeline and cost, and get you current before the deadline hits.

Common Kent scenarios we handle:

• Sole traders — Behind on self-assessment records, facing 31 January deadline
• Limited companies — Late filing with Companies House, facing automatic penalties
• Contractors — IR35 compliance backlog, need clean records for status determination
• Landlords — Rental income and expense records behind, facing self-assessment deadline
• New businesses — Started trading but never set up proper bookkeeping, now need to catch up

Remote-first, urgent turnaround available. We don't need to meet in person (though we can if you prefer), and we understand that when you're behind, time is of the essence. If you're facing a deadline within 2–4 weeks, let us know and we'll prioritise you. We've helped Kent businesses avoid thousands of pounds in penalties by getting them current just in time.

FAQs