Rated as 'better than other accountants' by 98% of our clients - we're working hard to convince the other 2%. 20 years of outstanding customer services.

Contractor accountants Newcastle

SJD Accountancy is the UK's largest firm of contractor accountants providing tax advice to over 11,000 contractors, all of whom work through their own Limited company.

We have offices in Newcastle and in all major UK cities and have won more awards for customer service and accounting excellence than any other firm in the contractor accountant sector, including three Accountancy Age Awards, five Contractor UK 'Best Contractor Accountant' reader Awards and two National Customer Service Awards.

What's more, all clients receive their own dedicated accountant, which they can meet, call and email and despite being the UK's largest accountants for contractors, we remain one of the lowest priced at just £110 plus VAT per month.

The first thing contractors usually think of when looking for an accountant is to find a local ‘high street’ company, but they are rarely specialist contractor accountants, so may not have knowledge of specific schemes which can benefit you as a contractor. There are also telephone only and internet based contractor accountants, however we have always felt it's far better for clients to have their own accountant that they can meet up with even if it's just once a year to discuss their business and personal financial goals. Tax is complicated and sometimes there is simply no substitute to meeting with your accountant face to face. Your accountant needs to understand your goals and to be able to provide the highest level of tax advice, something we just don't feel can be archived purely via a telephone/internet only relationship. Sure we could cut costs and reduce fees by closing offices and going telephone/internet only but this would ultimately reduce the level of service we provide. It's also interesting that most telephone and internet only companies aren't really that much cheaper anyway.

If you have any questions about contracting or would like any further advice please either contact your SJD Accountant, call our new client services helpdesk on 0500 152500 / 01442 275789 or email nikki.hanlon@sjdaccountancy.com.

If you're just starting out contracting in Newcastle, find below a few details which you might find helpful.

Contracting in Newcastle

In the last decade, Newcastle has transformed itself into one of Europe‘s most exciting places, and for four consecutive years it was voted the nation’s favourite English city break destination in The Guardian/Observer Travel Awards. It also has a number of ‘claims to fame’, including being the place where Earl Gray tea first originated, having the first street to be lit by electricity (Mosley Street) and being the city where the Beatles’ classic ‘She Loves You’ was composed. A mix of world-class events and attractions, coupled with the city’s facilities, shopping, nightlife and of course contracting opportunities, make Newcastle one of the greatest places in the UK to live and work.

Without a doubt, the largest employer in the region is HM Revenue and Customs, which has a huge network of offices throughout the city. One such office in Longbenton houses over 3,500 contractors and employees. Indeed, it is estimated that 70% of all workers in the area are Government related. It therefore follows that the number one opportunity for contracting is going to be the public sector.

On the commercial side, Newcastle’s growth over the last decade or so has largely been thanks to its success in attracting large companies to the region. This in turn has attracted more workers – both permanent and contract based – and so led to greater community development and regeneration. Major industries include government, both local and central, IT and telecoms, finance and banking and construction. Large organisations with their head offices or decision-making management in Newcastle include:

The Go-Ahead Group - One of the UK’s leading providers of quality public transport, carrying almost one billion passengers per year and employing around 25,000 people. The company operates many well-known travel brands including Go North East, London Midland, Gatwick Express, Meteor, Southern and MetroBus.
The Sage Group - Sage provides software and services to over 760,000 small and medium-sized businesses in the UK and has 5.7 million customers worldwide. It employs an ever-expanding team of over 2,000 highly trained people in the UK including industry experts, accountants and entrepreneurs who are all passionate about doing the best thing for its customers.
Proctor and Gamble - P&G really doesn't need any introduction, it manages over 300 brands and employs over 135,000 people globally in over 80 countries. It has a substantial presence in Newcastle in the Cobalt Business Park.
Siemens - As well as being a leading global engineering company, Siemens also holds numerous outsourced Government contracts. It has offices and factories throughout the UK, including facilities in Shields Road in Newcastle and employs over 16,000 people in the UK.
Bellway Homes - The fourth largest house builder in the UK, employing around 2,000 people on a direct basis and many more on a contract basis. Since its formation more than 50 years ago, Bellway has enjoyed sustained growth and built over 100,000 properties – and in 2009 alone it sold 4,380 homes.

Typical rates of pay for contractors in Newcastle do vary depending on individual skill-sets, but as an example, an IT Contractor could expect to earn between £300 and £450 per day on average at a Newcastle-based job. Most UK-wide recruitment agencies will carry a good number of Newcastle-based contractor jobs, so they should be quite easy to track down, and it’s also worth keeping an eye out in the local papers. There are quite a few to choose from, but the best read ones are probably The Evening Chronicle (www.chroniclelive.co.uk), The Journal (www.journallive.co.uk) and the Northern Echo (www.thenorthernecho.co.uk).

There are a few pros and cons to working in Newcastle. On the downside, rates of pay are lower, it’s further to travel for access to the south, and there are congestion issues if commuting into the city by car. However, on the upside, there are a great range of opportunities available and a lower cost of living, with an excellent social life in one of the friendliest cities in the UK, and city living with fantastic countryside and great coastline nearby.

Newcastle City Council issued its Regeneration Strategy in 2006, titled ‘Newcastle in 2021’. The 15 year plan is now well under way and has already seen many notable developments taking place. The ongoing activity involves significant economic programmes in science, technology and design; improved transport links; high quality cultural attractions and the transformation of education and skills. Specific projects include the development of a ‘Science City’ to stimulate the growth of science and technology businesses, as well as the development of a ‘leisure economy’ across tourism, culture and the city’s retailing offer. This detailed Regeneration Strategy is providing huge opportunities for contractors throughout the North East.

For information on other regional contracting guides, see the links below (we will be adding more guides over time):

Contractor Accountants London
Contractor Accountants Reading
Contractor Accountants Manchester
Contractor Accountants Birmingham
Contractor Accountants Milton Keynes
Contractor Accountants Leeds
Contractor Accountants Aberdeen
Contractor Accountants Glasgow
Contractor Accountants Edinburgh
Contractor Accountants Bristol

SJD Accountancy

SJD Accountancy are the UK's largest specialist provider of fixed fee, limited company accountancy services to contractors; we've been acting for contractors across the UK since 1992 and have more than 11,000 clients.

We are the only National specialist firm of accountants with offices in all major UK cities so you’ll never be far from your accountant. SJD also have more qualified staff than any other firm in our market with qualifications from the following major tax and accountancy bodies - ATII, ATT, ACCA, CA, ACA, FCCA, ACMA. You’ll also be pleased to know that we are one of the lowest priced as well.

Free face-to-face meetings. This is another unique service, only SJD offers free face to face meetings - tax is complicated and sometimes only a meeting will do.
Unlimited access to your own dedicated accountant. No call centres, no outsourcing, no automated call handling. Simply telephone, e-mail or meet your own dedicated accountant face to face.
Money back service guarantee. All your telephone calls and e-mails will be answered the same day or we will refund your monthly fee's.
Outstanding reputation. We have won more awards for customer service and accountancy excellence than any other firm in our market.
All inclusive low cost monthly package which includes completion of accounts, payroll bureau, dividends and corporation tax computations, personal taxation, free bookkeeping software, unlimited access to your accountant and all company returns. All this for a fixed monthly fee of £110 plus VAT, which is one of the lowest prices in the market.

If you have any questions about contracting or would like any further advice please either contact your SJD Accountant or call our new client services helpdesk on 0500 152500 / 01442 275789 or email: nikki.hanlon@sjdaccountancy.com.

Appoint SJD Accountancy and never worry about your tax or accountancy affairs again!

You may also find the following pages, guides and case studies useful:

Take home pay calculator - How much could you be taking home
Contractor FAQ - All your frequently asked questions and their answers
First time Contracting or Freelancing? - A summary of the alternatives along with pros and cons
Choosing an accountant - For a full review
Step-by-step Guide to Contracting - Download a FREE copy of our guide
Limited or Umbrella? Can't decide? - We help you decide which is best for you
Guide to Contracting - All the best guides to contracting in one place
Expenses Guide - Know exactly what you can claim
Umbrella company guide - Everything you ever wanted to know about umbrella company services
IR35 Guide - A great plain English guide to IR35