Ad-Hoc Accounting Catch-Up Bookkeeping

If you're behind on your bookkeeping, you're not alone—lots of businesses fall behind, and catching up can feel overwhelming. Catch-up bookkeeping helps businesses that are behind on their bookkeeping get up to date, bringing accounting records current and ensuring compliance with HMRC requirements. Ad-hoc accounting services provide flexible, on-demand accounting support for businesses that need help with specific tasks, catch-up work, or irregular accounting needs. Catch-up bookkeeping typically involves gathering all accounting records (invoices, receipts, bank statements, etc.), organising records chronologically, recording all transactions, reconciling bank accounts, and preparing accounts up to date (gov.uk Keeping Records).

The problem is most businesses don't know how to catch up on bookkeeping or find the process overwhelming. They don't know where to start, struggle to organise records, don't have time to catch up, or find the process confusing and stressful. That causes problems—continuing to fall behind, missing tax deadlines, inaccurate records leading to compliance issues, cash flow problems from lack of visibility, and stress from trying to manage catch-up work.

We provide ad-hoc accounting and catch-up bookkeeping services for businesses across Kent: catch-up bookkeeping (gathering all accounting records, organising records chronologically, recording all transactions, reconciling bank accounts, and preparing accounts up to date), record organisation and cleanup (organising disorganised records, sorting invoices, receipts, bank statements, and other documents chronologically, making records accessible), transaction recording (recording all transactions from bank statements, invoices, receipts, and other records into accounting records, ensuring all income and expenses are captured), bank reconciliation catch-up (reconciling bank accounts from where they last stopped to current date, ensuring all transactions are accounted for and reconciled correctly), VAT return catch-up (catching up on missed VAT returns, preparing and filing outstanding VAT returns, ensuring MTD compliance where applicable), accounts preparation catch-up (preparing accounts up to date, including profit and loss, balance sheet, and other financial reports), ad-hoc accounting tasks (providing flexible, on-demand help with specific accounting tasks, one-off projects, or irregular accounting needs), and ongoing support options (providing options for ongoing bookkeeping support after catch-up is complete to prevent falling behind again). Whether you're a business in Medway that's fallen behind on bookkeeping, a company in Maidstone needing ad-hoc accounting help, or a business in Canterbury needing catch-up support, we'll provide your ad-hoc accounting and catch-up bookkeeping services that work. No overwhelm, no penalties—just proper catch-up bookkeeping that gets your books current and keeps you compliant.

What this helps you do (fast)

• Get your books up to date — We'll gather all your records, organise them, record all transactions, and reconcile accounts, bringing your books current. Up-to-date books provide clarity.
• Meet tax deadlines — We'll ensure your accounts are up to date in time for tax deadlines, avoiding penalties and compliance issues. Meeting deadlines avoids penalties.
• Get accurate financial records — We'll ensure all transactions are recorded correctly, bank accounts are reconciled, and accounts are accurate and complete. Accurate records improve decision-making.
• Reduce stress and overwhelm — We'll handle catch-up work for you, reducing stress and allowing you to focus on running your business. Less stress improves wellbeing.
• Avoid compliance issues — We'll ensure records meet HMRC requirements, avoiding compliance issues and penalties. Compliance avoids problems.
• Get flexible support — We'll provide ad-hoc help for specific tasks or catch-up work without ongoing commitments. Flexible support suits your needs.

How it works

Step-by-step process for catch-up bookkeeping:

1. Discovery call — We chat about your situation: how far behind you are on bookkeeping, what accounting records you have (invoices, receipts, bank statements, etc.), what state your records are in (organised or disorganised), what deadlines you're facing (tax deadlines, VAT deadlines, etc.), what help you need, and what you want to achieve. Understanding your situation helps us tailor catch-up services.
2. Records assessment — We assess your records:
   • Record gathering — We gather all accounting records (invoices, receipts, bank statements, contracts, correspondence, etc.) from wherever they are.
   • Record organisation check — We check how well records are organised (whether they're sorted, dated, accessible, or disorganised).
   • Gap identification — We identify gaps in records (missing invoices, missing receipts, missing bank statements, incomplete records, etc.).
   • Transaction volume assessment — We assess volume of transactions to catch up on (number of transactions, time period, complexity).
   • Current state assessment — We assess current state of bookkeeping (where bookkeeping last stopped, what's already recorded, what's missing).
   Records assessment identifies scope of work.
3. Records organisation — We organise your records:
   • Sorting and categorising — We sort records chronologically, categorise by type (invoices, receipts, bank statements, etc.), and make records accessible.
   • Missing records identification — We identify missing records and help you locate or request them.
   • Record storage — We organise record storage (digital or physical) so records are easy to access and reference.
   • Record inventory — We create inventory of records, ensuring we have everything needed for catch-up.
   Records organisation makes catch-up manageable.
4. Transaction recording catch-up — We record all transactions:
   • Bank statement processing — We process all bank statements from where last reconciled to current date, recording all transactions.
   • Invoice recording — We record all sales invoices, purchase invoices, and other invoices into accounting records.
   • Expense recording — We record all expenses (receipts, expenses, purchases, etc.) into accounting records.
   • Income recording — We record all income (sales, other income, etc.) into accounting records.
   • Transaction categorisation — We categorise transactions (income categories, expense categories) according to your chart of accounts.
   Transaction recording gets transactions captured.
5. Bank reconciliation catch-up — We reconcile bank accounts:
   • Reconciliation from last point — We reconcile bank accounts from where they last stopped to current date.
   • Transaction matching — We match bank transactions to invoices, receipts, and other records, ensuring all transactions are accounted for.
   • Unmatched items handling — We identify and handle unmatched items (transactions that don't match records, requiring investigation or adjustment).
   • Reconciliation accuracy — We ensure bank reconciliations are accurate and complete.
   Bank reconciliation ensures accuracy.
6. VAT return catch-up — We catch up on VAT returns:
   • Missed VAT returns identification — We identify missed VAT returns that need to be filed.
   • VAT return preparation — We prepare outstanding VAT returns, ensuring VAT figures are accurate and complete.
   • VAT return filing — We file outstanding VAT returns, ensuring MTD compliance where applicable.
   • VAT compliance — We ensure VAT compliance, addressing any issues or penalties.
   VAT return catch-up ensures VAT compliance.
7. Accounts preparation — We prepare accounts up to date:
   • Profit and loss preparation — We prepare profit and loss accounts up to current date, showing income and expenses accurately.
   • Balance sheet preparation — We prepare balance sheets up to current date, showing assets, liabilities, and equity accurately.
   • Financial reports — We prepare other financial reports as needed (cash flow, aged debtors, aged creditors, etc.).
   • Account accuracy — We ensure accounts are accurate, complete, and ready for tax returns or other purposes.
   Accounts preparation provides financial clarity.
8. Ad-hoc accounting support — We provide ad-hoc accounting support:
   • Specific task help — We provide help with specific accounting tasks as needed (one-off projects, specific questions, irregular needs).
   • Ongoing support options — We discuss ongoing bookkeeping support options to prevent falling behind again (monthly bookkeeping, quarterly reviews, etc.).
   • Ongoing maintenance — We provide ongoing maintenance if you want ongoing support after catch-up is complete.
   Ad-hoc support provides flexibility.

We provide comprehensive catch-up bookkeeping services, from records assessment to accounts preparation. The key is gathering all records, organising them, recording all transactions, reconciling accounts, and preparing accounts up to date.

Costs & timelines

Pricing factors:

• How far behind you are — How many months or years of catch-up needed affects time and cost significantly.
• Transaction volume — Number of transactions to catch up on affects time required.
• Records state — Whether records are organised or disorganised affects time required for organisation and processing.
• Complexity — Simple businesses with straightforward transactions vs. complex businesses with multiple revenue streams, complex transactions, or multiple bank accounts affects time required.

Commonly reported ranges by local providers:

• Catch-up bookkeeping (per month of catch-up): £300–£800+ per month (depending on transaction volume, complexity, and records state—simple businesses with low transaction volume typically cost less, complex businesses with high transaction volume typically cost more)
• Records organisation and cleanup (one-off): £200–£1,000+ (depending on volume of records and how disorganised they are)
• Ad-hoc accounting tasks (per hour or per task): £50–£150+ per hour (depending on complexity and expertise required)
• Comprehensive catch-up service (full catch-up, all services included): £1,000–£5,000+ (depending on how far behind, transaction volume, complexity, and records state)

Why catch-up bookkeeping costs what they do:

• Time required — Catch-up bookkeeping requires significant time to gather records, organise them, record transactions, reconcile accounts, and prepare accounts.
• Complexity — Catch-up work can be complex, especially if records are disorganised or there are gaps in records.
• Value provided — Catch-up bookkeeping helps you get up to date, meet tax deadlines, avoid penalties, and get accurate financial records, providing substantial value.
• Expertise — Catch-up bookkeeping requires expertise in accounting, record-keeping, and compliance to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Timeline: Catch-up bookkeeping timelines vary significantly depending on how far behind you are, transaction volume, and records state. Typical catch-up takes 2–8 weeks for 3–6 months of catch-up, 4–12 weeks for 6–12 months of catch-up, and 8+ weeks for 12+ months of catch-up. Ad-hoc tasks typically take 1–5 days depending on complexity.

Payment: Typically invoiced upon completion of work or in stages for larger catch-up projects. Payment terms are typically 14–30 days.

No hidden fees. Our price includes records assessment, organisation, transaction recording, bank reconciliation, VAT return catch-up, and accounts preparation. Additional services (complex tax planning, specialist advice, etc.) may be charged separately if not included in standard service.

Kent (UK) focus

For businesses in Kent, whether you're a business in Medway that's fallen behind on bookkeeping, a company in Maidstone needing ad-hoc accounting help, or a business in Canterbury needing catch-up support, catch-up bookkeeping helps you get up to date and stay compliant. Many Kent businesses fall behind on bookkeeping due to time constraints, lack of resources, or lack of expertise, leading to compliance issues and missed deadlines. We help local businesses catch up on bookkeeping, organise records, record transactions, reconcile accounts, and prepare accounts up to date, providing peace of mind and ensuring compliance.

Common Kent catch-up bookkeeping scenarios:

• Businesses that have fallen behind — Businesses that have fallen behind on bookkeeping, needing catch-up to get up to date.
• New businesses — New businesses that haven't set up proper bookkeeping, needing initial setup and catch-up.
• Businesses with disorganised records — Businesses with disorganised records, needing organisation and catch-up.
• Businesses needing ad-hoc help — Businesses needing flexible, on-demand help with specific accounting tasks or irregular needs.

Remote-first, Kent-focused. We don't need to meet in person (though we can if you prefer), and we understand what Kent businesses are dealing with. Records organisation, transaction recording, bank reconciliation, accounts preparation—we'll provide your catch-up bookkeeping services that get your books current and keep you compliant.

FAQs