CIS bookkeeping for subbies, and for the firms paying them
20% comes off every job you do. I log every statement as it lands, file everything HMRC want, and by April the numbers are already there. From £69 a month, everything on WhatsApp. Got lads on the books? I verify them and file your CIS300 as well.
First month's free on Solo and Growth, no card, nothing to cancel.
What actually happens
You photograph the statement
Every time a contractor pays you they have to give you a statement showing what they've taken off. Photo, WhatsApp, forget about it. Same with receipts.
I log it
It goes into your Xero against the right contractor and the right month, and you get one line back so you know what you're at for the year.
April, and the return's already done
Nothing to find, nothing to chase. I put the return in on the 6th, HMRC work out what they owe you, and it lands in your account. Not mine.
Where subbies lose money on CIS
- The 30% rate. Not registered, or a contractor can't verify you, and it's 30% off instead of 20%. Registering is free, here's how, step by step.
- Labour and materials on one line. Deductions only apply to labour. Put it all on one line and you've handed HMRC 20% of your materials until next April.
- Statements that go missing. A month's statement lost in the van, a contractor who never sent one, and the return underclaims. Every one gets logged the day it lands.
- Reverse charge VAT done wrong. Charging it when you shouldn't, or not when you should, and it's bounced invoices and brown envelopes. The reverse charge, explained.
- Deductions nobody added up. Plenty of lads never total what's come off in the year. It's the first thing I look for. How CIS deductions actually work.
One page a month, in English
A real one, from my own company, July. What came in, what went out, what you made, what to put aside for tax, and the one thing I'd want you to know that month. That's the £149 plan. On £69 you get a running total of what's been deducted instead, so you always know what April looks like.
What it costs
The Solo plan is £69 a month. You photograph each CIS statement to WhatsApp, I tally the deductions as they come in and put the year end in when it's due. If you want the statements chased for you, the reverse charge sorted and the monthly contractor return done, that's £249. And it's a fixed fee, never a percentage.
Who's behind it
I'm a career entrepreneur, running operations in private aviation, taxis, agriculture and building projects. I've had small businesses and businesses with turnover over £10m. I loved the numbers side, got great at costings and knowing where the money goes, so I learned bookkeeping and accounting and saw a niche helping trades with their businesses. That's why I set this up. I really enjoy talking to people about their businesses and crunching the numbers. Your business is my business: I won't just send you a list of numbers, I'll break them down and offer suggestions too! It's just me, you have my WhatsApp all the time. Any questions, snags, or want someone to bounce an idea off, give me a shout. More →
Supervised by HMRC for anti-money laundering · £250k professional indemnity insurance · Xero Certified Associate and Certified Professional · Ran operations and the P&L of a business turning over £10m+
Common questions
What does a CIS bookkeeper actually do?
Keeps your deductions tracked and evidenced, splits labour and materials properly on invoices, files everything HMRC wants, offsets what you've already paid, and recovers what you've overpaid. For contractors: verification and monthly returns.
What happens to my CIS deductions at year end?
Sole traders: they're set against your Self Assessment bill and HMRC settle the difference with you. Ltd companies: offset against PAYE in-year, balance settled after year end. If it's been going on for years, earlier years can often be looked at too.
Should I go for gross payment status?
If turnover and compliance history qualify, gross status means nothing deducted at source. Better cash flow, but the tax bill lands on you to budget for — which is exactly what the monthly one-pager is for.
I'm on 30% deductions. Can I get onto 20%?
Yes, and it's free. Register as a CIS subcontractor on gov.uk — takes about twenty minutes — and once your contractors verify you they deduct 20% instead of 30%. On £2,000 of labour that's £200 back in your pocket per invoice. The extra you've already lost isn't gone either: it's tax paid on account, and it comes back when you file. Check your own invoice on the calculator.