A E Scott & Co

At a glance: AAT-licensed practice on Preston Farm Industrial Estate, Stockton-on-Tees; 5.0 rating from 72 Google reviews; incorporated 2013; team of six with over 50 years' combined experience. The firm, its origins and its people A E Scott & Co operates alongside a good number of other accountancy practices in the area, including Shackleton Rodgers, TaxAssist Accountants and PCN Accountants, with AIMS Accountants for Business offering a franchise-model alternative. The full directory of accountants serving Yarm and Stockton-on-Tees is worth a look. A E Scott & Co was incorporated in 2013 when Andrea Scott, having developed an interest in accountancy during her Business Studies degree, opened the practice's first office on Yarm High Street. That location put the firm among the independent shops and businesses of one of Teesside's better-known high streets, and it remained the base for a decade. In 2023 the practice relocated to Varsity House, 2 Falcon Court, on Preston Farm Industrial Estate, a move that gave the growing team room to expand both headcount and service lines. The firm is licensed and regulated by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), which sets competence and ethical standards for its members. For a client, that regulatory backing means there is an independent body overseeing the practice's work, and a formal complaints route if things go wrong. It is not a voluntary badge; AAT licence holders must meet continuing professional development requirements and carry professional indemnity insurance. Andrea Scott holds the AAT and ATT qualifications and, as director, remains closely involved in client relationships, new enquiries, business support, property structures and advisory work. She is not the sort of director who retreats behind a desk; the website emphasises that she enjoys getting to know local businesses and helping clients feel comfortable speaking to their accountant. Ben Phillips joined as an apprentice in 2015 and was made director after qualifying as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant in 2025, having already completed his AAT. His areas cover accounts, corporation tax, personal tax, research and development claims, advisory work and practice development. His progression from apprentice to director is worth noting for any client who values continuity: the people who prepare your returns are likely to be the same people who answer the phone when you call. Samantha Mason-Hill came on board in 2018 as an AAT bookkeeping apprentice, has since completed her AAT studies, and now handles accounts preparation, VAT returns and client support while training new staff. Christopher Smith, who joined in 2019 also as an AAT bookkeeping apprentice, works on accounts preparation, tax returns and VAT returns, and is studying towards the ATT qualification. Emily Phillips, a former NHS employee, manages payroll services and administration, having joined in early 2022; she also runs the firm's social media. Kye Ayre, the most recent recruit (May 2023), brought an IT background and a film degree, has completed AAT Level 2 and Level 3, and now handles bookkeeping with a practical approach to digital systems. Six people, two directors, a clear apprenticeship-to-qualification pipeline: the structure suggests a practice that invests in its own talent rather than relying on experienced hires from elsewhere. For clients, that translates into a team whose knowledge of the firm's systems and standards is consistent and internally grown. Those looking for other professional services in the area, such as solicitors or financial advisers, can find related directory listings at <a href="/solicitors">solicitors</a> and <a href="/financial-advisers">financial advisers</a>, though A E Scott itself concentrates purely on accountancy and tax. What the practice delivers: services in detail The service list is broad for a six-person firm, covering the core compliance work that every small business and self-assessment individual needs, plus a few offerings that go beyond the basics. Accounts. Annual accounts for companies, partnerships and sole traders, fully compliant with the Financial Reporting Council's financial reporting standards. The firm prepares Statutory Accounts, which reduce the amount of information a company has to display publicly on the Companies House register. For a small business owner concerned about competitors seeing detailed figures, that is a tangible benefit. Bookkeeping. Ongoing support on cloud-based software or annual bookkeeping left entirely with the team. The firm's bookkeepers work with whatever digital platform the client uses, which matters increasingly as Making Tax Digital widens its reach. Corporation Tax. Completion and filing of the annual corporation tax return for HMRC compliance, usually prepared alongside the annual accounts by the same accountant, reducing the risk of inconsistencies between the two. Capital Gains Tax. Calculation and submission of gains on the sale of residential property, shares or other assets, working alongside the personal tax return. Given the complexity of property disposal rules in the UK, particularly around lettings relief and principal private residence changes, having an accountant who handles this routinely is a practical advantage. Office Address. The Varsity House address can be used as a business's registered office and mail forwarding point. This allows a sole trader or small company to present a professional commercial address rather than a home address on the public register. For anyone running a business from home who values privacy, this is a straightforward solution. Payroll. Processing on any pay frequency, with advice on holidays and sickness, and full compliance with HMRC's Real Time Information requirements. Emily Phillips manages this side of the practice, and for a small employer who does not want to wrestle with payroll software themselves, outsourcing it to a dedicated clerk is often cheaper than the cost of mistakes. Personal Tax. Self-assessment tax return completion for sole traders, landlords, shareholders, and anyone needing to claim additional expenses against employment income. The firm registers clients for Self Assessment, prepares and files the return, checks that allowances and expenses are being claimed, explains what is owed and when, and deals with HMRC on the client's behalf. Their personal tax page highlights a 5.0 rating from 69 Google reviews (the Google Business Profile now shows 72 reviews at 5.0), and the promise of plain English rather than jargon. Research and Development Claims. Support, advice and completion of R&D claims alongside the company tax return. R&D tax relief can be significant, particularly for small and medium-sized companies in sectors such as manufacturing, software and engineering, but the rules on qualifying expenditure are intricate. A practice that handles these routinely is better placed to identify eligible costs than a generalist who processes them only occasionally. VAT. Support and completion across any frequency or scheme, working alongside bookkeeping on cloud-based software for Making Tax Digital compliance. The firm's blog includes a post on the VAT Flat Rate Scheme and relevant goods, a topic that catches many small businesses off guard, and another on the VAT registration threshold, suggesting genuine familiarity with the practical pitfalls. Anyone comparing local accountants can browse the wider <a href="/accountants">accountants</a> directory, and those whose needs extend into property management for rental portfolios may also find the <a href="/property-management">property management</a> category relevant for handling the operational side of landlord income that A E Scott then reports to HMRC. Making Tax Digital: the approaching deadline and what the firm offers Making Tax Digital for Self Assessment is the next major shift in how HMRC expects taxpayers to operate, and A E Scott has built a dedicated service page around it. From April 2026, all self-employed people and landlords earning over £50,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC through MTD-compatible software. From April 2027, the threshold drops to £30,000. The firm positions itself as expert MTD accountants for sole traders, landlords and freelancers, offering MTD-compliant digital bookkeeping, quarterly HMRC submissions, real-time tax estimates and year-end Self Assessment filing. The key selling point is that a real accountant guides the process rather than leaving the client to navigate software alone. The firm works exclusively with HMRC-recognised MTD software and states that it handles software, submissions and year-end returns on the client's behalf. For landlords who have previously filed a paper return once a year, the shift to quarterly digital updates is substantial. The firm's FAQ on the topic confirms that it does everything for the client: software, submissions and year-end. There is also a short video on handling cash sales under MTD, where a digital record of every sale, cash included, is required. This is the kind of practical detail that separates a firm genuinely preparing for the change from one merely mentioning it on a webpage. Business owners exploring broader professional support for the transition can review options at <a href="/business-consultants">business consultants</a> and the general <a href="/professional-services">professional services</a> listings. Guidance, jargon and the information the firm needs from you A E Scott publishes a substantial amount of free guidance, which says something about how the practice views client education. The blog carries posts on the VAT Flat Rate Scheme and relevant goods, the minimum salary plus dividends strategy, stamp duty on incorporating a property partnership, the 24-month rule for travel expenses, separating personal and business finances, dividends for company directors, sole trader versus limited company structures, tax-deductible business expenses, travel expenses for the self-employed, and whether an employer can pay for an eye test through a limited company. The author listed is Ben Phillips, and the frequency of publication suggests the blog is an active part of the firm's outreach rather than a token effort. The videos section covers the cycle to work scheme, mobile phones for companies, new 2025 Companies House identity requirements, pension contributions for company directors over 55, UK income when living overseas, the VAT rolling threshold, and what to do with cash sales. These are short, focused pieces addressing specific questions that clients actually ask. The jargon buster page is unusually comprehensive for an accountancy firm's website. It runs from Accounts Payable through to Net Profit and Nominal Ledger, covering terms such as accrual accounting, amortisation, bad debt, BACS, break-even point, capital allowances, CIS, directors' loan account, double-entry bookkeeping, EBITDA, FRS 102, going concern, gross margin, input VAT, insolvency, journal entry, KPI, and Making Tax Digital. Each definition is in plain English. For a client who has ever nodded along to "FRS 102" without knowing what it means, the page is genuinely useful, and its existence signals that the firm does not assume financial literacy. On the practical side, the firm publishes detailed lists of what information it needs to complete a self-assessment return or a limited company's accounts and tax return. The self-assessment list covers income types (benefits, capital gains, directorships, dividends, foreign income, interest, partnership income, PAYE employment, pensions, rental and property income, self-employed income), other charges (child benefit where income exceeds £60,000, student loans) and reliefs (marriage allowance, pension contributions, gift aid, residency status). The limited company list covers sales invoices, POS and online platform reports, expenses and receipts, purchase invoices, supplier statements, bank statements in both PDF and CSV, debtors, asset disposals, mileage, closing stock, mobile phone payments and use-of-home calculations. There is also an interactive form that steps through the same categories, allowing clients to tick what applies to them and email the information with attached documents. The form notes that if the firm logs into a client's sales platform to download reports itself, this takes additional time and is likely to result in higher bookkeeping charges than if the client provides the reports directly. That transparency about cost implications is the kind of detail that builds trust. Anyone setting up a new business and needing wider support, from insurance to premises, might also consult <a href="/insurance-brokers">insurance brokers</a> or the general <a href="/business-directory">business directory</a> for other local providers. What to consider before engaging the practice The opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 6pm, and Friday, 8:30am to 1pm. The Friday half-day is worth noting for anyone who habitually contacts their accountant on a Friday afternoon. The practice is closed at weekends. The firm works with clients beyond the United Kingdom and has experience of foreign income and non-UK residency issues, which is relevant for anyone with overseas earnings or who has spent time outside the UK during a tax year. The residency section of the information page is detailed, covering the three-year residential status test, the number of days spent in the UK, and the full-time overseas and full-time UK work tests. The office address service is limited to the Varsity House location; there is no mention of a central London or other prestigious address option, which some registered-office providers offer. For a Teesside-based business, the Stockton address is unlikely to be a drawback. The firm does not list audit work among its services, which is consistent with its focus on small businesses and individuals. Companies that exceed the small-company audit threshold would need to look elsewhere for that specific requirement. Equally, there is no mention of insolvency or company rescue work on the services page. The Google Business Profile shows 72 reviews at 5.0 out of 5, which is a strong signal, though any prospective client should read a sample of the reviews themselves to assess whether the experiences described match their own priorities. A perfect score over that many reviews suggests consistent service, but it is always worth checking recency and whether the reviewers' circumstances align with yours. FAQ, in full Does A E Scott & Co handle Making Tax Digital for Self Assessment? Yes. The firm offers a dedicated MTD service covering digital bookkeeping, quarterly HMRC submissions, real-time tax estimates and year-end filing. From April 2026, self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 must comply, and from April 2027 the threshold drops to £30,000. The firm states that it handles software, submissions and year-end returns on the client's behalf. What qualifications and regulation does the practice hold? The firm is licensed and regulated by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). Andrea Scott holds AAT and ATT qualifications. Ben Phillips qualified as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant in 2025. Other team members have completed or are working towards AAT and ATT qualifications. Can I use the firm's address as my registered office? Yes. The Varsity House address at Falcon Court can serve as a business's registered office and mail handling address, allowing a home-based business to keep its personal address off the public Companies House register. What information do I need to provide for my self-assessment return? The firm publishes a comprehensive list covering employment income (P60, P45, P11D), self-employed income and expenditure, rental property income and costs, dividends, capital gains, pension income, interest, foreign income, benefits, partnership income, child benefit (where income exceeds £60,000), student loan details, marriage allowance, gift aid donations, pension contributions and residency status. An interactive form is available on the website to guide clients through the process. Does the firm work with clients outside the UK? Yes. The website states that the firm's reach has extended far beyond the United Kingdom and that it has worked with small businesses and individuals from all corners of the globe. The information page includes detailed guidance on foreign income and non-UK residency status. Many clients also need a solicitor for legal matters or a financial adviser for broader planning. Both sit within Yarm.co.uk’s professional services hub. What are the practice's opening hours? Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 6pm, and Friday, 8:30am to 1pm.