How to maintain accounting records as a limited company contractor

Keeping accurate accounting records is an essential task for every successful contractor. Not only can you ensure that you stay on the right side of the taxman, but you should also be able to see exactly what your financial situation is at any moment in time.

Successful bookkeeping and record-keeping will almost always include following these three steps:

• Setting up effective processes to start with.
• Managing your accounts throughout the year.
• Keeping hold of records for the correct amount of time.

Whether you handle your own admin or work closely with an accountant, these steps will help you stay compliant and stress-free.

Why accurate records matter

As a limited company director, you’re required by law to maintain reliable financial records. These records support:

• Your statutory accounts
• Corporation Tax returns
• VAT returns (if registered)
• Confirmation Statements
• Payroll and payslips
• Dividend documentation

Inaccurate or missing records can lead to financial penalties or tax investigations, so it’s worth getting your systems right from the start.

1. Track the right information from day one

You should be recording all company-related financial activity, including:

• Sales invoices (with invoice numbers, dates, and customer details)
• Business expenses (receipts for everything claimed)
• Bank transactions
• VAT and payroll records
• Dividends (vouchers and board minutes)

Tip: Always use a separate business bank account for your company. This is a requirement for limited companies and helps avoid mixing personal and business transactions.

2. Let accounting software do the heavy lifting

Gone are the days of paper receipts and spreadsheet chaos. Cloud accounting software can now handle nearly every aspect of your company’s finances – automatically.

Here’s what modern software can do for you:

• Connect to your business bank account and automatically import transactions
• Match transactions to invoices or expenses with minimal input
• Create and send invoices with automatic payment reminders
• Track expenses (often just by snapping a receipt photo with your phone)
• Handle VAT: calculate, prepare and submit VAT returns directly to HMRC
• Run payroll and generate payslips for directors and employees
• Produce dividend vouchers and board meeting templates
• Submit your Corporation Tax return (in some software)
• Generate your statutory accounts ready for Companies House filing
• Keep a real-time overview of your profits, tax liabilities, and cashflow

Modern software is fully compliant with Making Tax Digital (MTD).

3. Why FreeAgent is popular with contractors (and accountants)

Among the many accounting tools available, FreeAgent stands out as one of the most contractor-friendly platforms. All of the leading contractor accountants support it.

Key features of FreeAgent for limited company owners:

• Designed specifically for UK freelancers and small businesses
• Clean, intuitive dashboard showing real-time tax liabilities
• Easy creation of recurring invoices with automatic tracking
• Receipt capture via mobile app with automatic categorisation
• Bank feeds that sync daily with most UK banks
• Payroll functionality built-in for directors and employees
• Dividend recording and documentation generation
• VAT and MTD compliance, with direct submission to HMRC
• End-of-year accounts and Corporation Tax filing for micro-entities

Bonus: Some business banks like NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Mettle offer FreeAgent for free if you have a business current account with them. You can get a 30 day free trial here (and 10% off for life).

Other strong alternatives to FreeAgent include:

4. Keep digital records securely and compliantly

Limited companies must retain their financial records for at least six years after the end of the accounting period to which they relate. This includes:

• Invoices and receipts
• Bank and credit card statements
• VAT and PAYE records
• Dividend vouchers and board minutes
• Corporation Tax calculations
• Year-end accounts

Using accounting software makes this easy. All records are stored securely in the cloud and can be exported or backed up when needed.

5. Don’t forget your company’s statutory records

While your accounting software handles the financial side, company directors are also legally required to maintain certain statutory records, and these are not stored automatically in software like FreeAgent or Xero.

You must keep:

• A register of directors and secretaries
• A register of shareholders (members)
• A register of People with Significant Control (PSC)
• A register of share allotments and transfers
• Articles of Association
• Minutes of key meetings (e.g. board resolutions for dividends)

These records should be kept in a secure, organised location (either in digital or paper form) and must be made available upon request – for example, if HMRC or Companies House requires them.

You can keep these in a physical company register book or in a structured digital folder, ideally backed up and clearly named.

6. Use accounting software to stay on top of deadlines

Accounting software helps you track important due dates, including:

• Corporation Tax payment (9 months and 1 day after your year-end)
• Filing of accounts to Companies House (9 months after year-end)
• Confirmation Statement (annually)
• VAT returns (usually quarterly)
• Payroll submissions (RTI) (monthly)

Many platforms send automated reminders so you’ll never miss a filing again.

7. An accountant + accounting software = the ideal combo

Even the best software works best with human support. A specialist contractor accountant will:

• Check and submit your statutory accounts and tax returns
• Make sure you claim everything you’re entitled to
• Give advice on the optimal salary/dividend split
• Help with IR35, VAT schemes, and company structure
• Support you during an HMRC enquiry or investigation

Many contractor accountants include accounting software (like FreeAgent) as part of their fixed monthly fee, making it even more cost-effective.

For further reading, find out why choosing the right accountant is so important.