Below is a practical, up-to-date shortlist of well-regarded outsourced accounting providers and types of providers in the UK, plus how to choose between them and typical cost pointers.

Recommended providers (grouped by type)

• Large/global firms (best if you need complex reporting, international tax, or an enterprise-grade outsourcing relationship)
  • PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY — “Big Four” firms that offer large-scale accounting / finance function outsourcing, business‑process solutions and strong controls. Good for multi‑entity, cross‑border or highly regulated businesses. (thebusinessresearchcompany.com)
• Mid‑tier / national firms (best balance of advisory, UK tax knowledge and outsourced bookkeeping/payroll)
  • RSM UK, BDO UK, Mazars, Grant Thornton, Moore UK, Azets, UHY Hacker Young, Saffery — these firms have dedicated outsourcing/bookkeeping/payroll teams and often specialise in mid‑market and SME clients. (en.Wikipedia.org)
• Specialist UK bookkeeping & outsourcing firms (best for SMEs, startups and cost‑sensitive outsourcing)
  • Mazuma, Crunch, TaxScouts (tax services), Outbooks, Pearl Lemon Accountants and other UK bookkeeping specialists — these focus on cloud bookkeeping, VAT/MTD compliance, payroll and affordable monthly plans. Good when you want a fixed monthly fee and direct access to accountants/advisors. (brandradar.org)
• Offshore / scale providers used by UK firms (best for high volume transaction processing where cost and scale matter)
  • Datamatics, AdvanceTrack, QX Accounting Services, other outsourcing centres — they combine offshore/onshore teams, automation and process controls for large bookkeeping/back‑office workloads. Often used by UK firms to scale capacity. (datamaticscpa.com)

How to choose the right outsourced accounting partner

• Match provider size to need: Big Four / mid‑tier for complex, regulated or international needs; specialist bookkeepers or niche UK firms for straightforward bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and management accounts. (thebusinessresearchcompany.com)
• Check technology & integrations: ensure they work with your accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage) and HMRC’s Making Tax Digital where required. Cloud integration reduces manual work and cost. (techradar.com)
• Data security & compliance: confirm GDPR, ISO or other relevant controls and where data is processed (onshore vs offshore) — this matters for confidentiality and regulatory requirements. (datamaticscpa.com)
• Service model & SLAs: decide whether you need a named accountant/adviser, fixed monthly package, pay‑as‑you‑go, or a hybrid; confirm turnaround times, reporting cadence and escalation paths.
• References & sector experience: ask for client references in your sector and sample reports (management accounts, cash‑flow forecasts, KPI dashboards).

Typical pricing (ballpark)

• Small businesses / sole traders: simple outsourced bookkeeping and compliance often runs from ~£50–£300+ per month depending on transaction volume and services.
• SMEs with monthly management accounts, VAT and payroll: common ranges ~£300–£2,000+ per month depending on complexity.
• Mid‑market / enterprise outsourcing: bespoke pricing, often tens of thousands per year and up; Big Four/mid‑tier engagements are quoted case‑by‑case.
  (These are indicative; providers usually give bespoke quotes after a scoping call.) (expertmarket.com)

Next practical steps (if you want to proceed)

• Shortlist 3 providers across the types above (one specialist, one mid‑tier, and one larger firm) and ask for:
  • a written scope / sample deliverables,
  • pricing model (fixed monthly vs hourly),
  • technology stack/integration map,
  • data security / processing locations, and
  • 2–3 client references in your sector.

If you’d like, tell me:

• the size of your business (turnover, number of transactions, number of employees), and
• the services you want outsourced (bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, management accounts, tax returns, CFO/advisory), and I’ll produce a tailored shortlist of 4–6 UK providers (with links to service pages and a comparison table).