Your CIS return when you take on your first subbie
CIS returns keep verification, deductions, the monthly filing and each subcontractor statement tied together. We handle them before the 19th becomes your problem.
Can’t recommend these guys enough, saved the day when our previous accountant hadn’t been filling properly and we were facing fines. Worth their…Regent Barbers · Read the reviews
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A few quick questions, then a fixed monthly fee in writing and the free VAT and structure check. About two minutes, no tie in.
The first payment can create a problem you do not see until after the 19th. We verify the subbie, work out the twenty per cent deduction and keep both sides straight.
Concrete Accounts is a Liverpool accountancy practice that handles subcontractor verification, deductions, monthly CIS filing and statements for trade limited companies across the UK. Work is covered by a fixed monthly fee with software included, and Barnaby Byrom trained at a Top 10 accounting firm.
Construction trades
One first payment can leave the fine with you
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- Fixed monthly fees, software included
- VAT, CIS, payroll and year end handled
- Liverpool, Wirral and Cheshire, UK-wide
What changes before the next subbie gets paid
Verify the subbie before payment
Their HMRC status is checked before the first invoice is paid.
Know what comes off the labour
The twenty per cent deduction is worked out before money leaves the company.
Meet the deadline with statements sent
The monthly return is filed by the 19th and each subbie gets a statement.
Where the first subcontractor creates the problem
The risk usually starts with a payment made before the contractor rules are understood.
- Hire
“I paid my first subbie before anyone told me they had to be verified.”
The company now has to work backwards through the payment and decide what should have been deducted.
- Deduction
“I took twenty per cent off the whole invoice and now the payment does not add up.”
The subbie disputes the amount while you try to separate labour from the rest of the invoice.
- Filing
“The 19th passed before I knew a monthly return and deduction statement were due.”
The contractor carries the filing risk and any fine. It does not move to the subbie.
- Day 90
What changes once the monthly advice is in place
Each subbie is verified before payment. The labour deduction is worked out and the statement is sent. The return is filed by the 19th, so the contractor avoids an unnecessary filing risk.
Quick check · no email
If your accountant cannot explain subcontractor verification, tell you what is due and answer you this week, you have the wrong accountant
Answer three questions about the accountant looking after your company now.
Question 1 of 3
Could they tell you this week whether every current subbie has been verified?
Could they explain what should be deducted from the next labour payment?
Could they confirm the next filing date and which statements must be issued?
The gap is real because the contractor carries the filing risk. A set-up review is the sensible next step.
Most of the process is covered, but one loose part can still hold up a payment or filing. The first-subbie example shows why the whole monthly job needs one owner.
Your current accountant appears to have the contractor side covered. Keep their next deadline confirmed and use the guides when a new subbie joins.
Filing alone leaves the risky decisions with you
A filing service can submit the form, but the costly decisions happen before that point.
A filing-only service
You verify each subcontractor yourself.
You decide what counts as labour.
You remember which statements are due.
You carry the deadline between jobs.
Monthly contractor support
Verification happens before payment.
The deduction is checked against the invoice.
Statements go to each subcontractor.
The return is filed by the 19th.
Eight checks before the next subcontractor payment
A yes to each question means the basic contractor set-up is working.
- 01
Are you registered as a contractor before paying subbies?
Yes means the contractor side has started.
- 02
Has every subcontractor been verified before payment?
Yes means their treatment has been checked.
- 03
Can you separate labour from the rest of each invoice?
Yes means the deduction has a clear base.
- 04
Are standard verified deductions calculated at twenty per cent?
Yes means the standard rate is being applied.
- 05
Is the monthly return ready before the 19th?
Yes means the filing date is covered.
- 06
Does each subbie receive a deduction statement?
Yes means they can follow what was withheld.
- 07
Is the deducted money kept ready for HMRC?
Yes means it has not funded another job.
- 08
Is a new verification completed when circumstances change?
Yes means the next payment uses current information.
What gets handled after the first verification
The monthly work covers both sides of the subcontractor payment.
Monthly filings and deductions
We calculate deductions, file by the 19th and keep the HMRC payment in view.
Statements and tax suffered
Each subbie gets a statement showing the payment and amount withheld.
VAT, payroll and year end
The contractor work sits alongside the rest of the limited company.
Entry 01
The first subbie shows where the risk sits
One subcontractor on the books creates a monthly responsibility for the contractor.
Clients described by type. Names withheld.
What clients say
Can’t recommend these guys enough, saved the day when our previous accountant hadn’t been filling properly and we were facing fines. Worth their weight in gold!Regent BarbersGoogle review · 10 months ago
Exceptional service. Communication is clear, timely, and consistently accessible. After years of dealing with an accountant who was difficult to reach and overly formal, working with someone this reliable and solution focused has been a significant improvement. Strongly recommend.James HenryGoogle review · 10 months ago
I’ve been blown away by the service from Barnaby! My accounts went from being a constant mental burden to something I feel completely under control — all thanks to him. Now I can shift my mental energy to running my business rather than worrying about unexpected tax bills. Barnaby not only stays on top of everything, but also sends me financial reports so I have clarity and always know exactly what’s going on, which has made running my business enjoyable again!Oliver NoakesGoogle review · 10 months ago
How the first three months get CIS under control
The first job is finding what has already been paid and what is due next.
Know what is already due
We check contractor status, current subbies and any return approaching the 19th.
Pay verified subbies correctly
Each subcontractor is verified before the labour deduction is worked out.
Keep every statement together
Monthly filings, deduction payments and subcontractor statements follow the same routine.
Connect the rest of the company
CIS sits beside VAT, payroll and quarterly reporting under one agreed monthly scope.
Who this monthly set-up will not suit
A sole trader below the VAT threshold with no plan to incorporate is unlikely to fit.
A business wanting one isolated return without ongoing monthly work is unlikely to fit.
A side job or trade that has only just started is unlikely to fit.
Anyone asking us to alter a return to remove a valid bill is not a fit.
The set-up review will tell you plainly whether monthly support makes sense for the company.
Questions contractors ask before the first monthly filing
What does the monthly fee for CIS returns include?
For contractors, the monthly work can cover subcontractor verification, deduction calculations, the return due by the 19th and payment statements. The agreed scope can also include bookkeeping, VAT and payroll in one package. Cloud accounting software is included, and the scope is confirmed before work starts.
Can you handle CIS returns if we already have an accountant?
Yes. We can check whether the contractor set-up is right while your existing accountant keeps their other work. If you decide to move everything, Concrete Accounts contacts the old accountant directly and completes the onboarding. The important point is that one person owns the monthly deadline.
Do we have to move accounting software for CIS?
No. We first check what you already use and whether it supports the monthly contractor work properly. If a change is needed, the cloud accounting software is included in the monthly package and set up during onboarding. You will know the reason before anything moves.
What happens with our current accountant if we switch?
If you choose to switch, Concrete Accounts contacts your current accountant directly and handles the handover. Onboarding is completed in the first week, with no catch-up fees where the rules apply. Existing subcontractor details, earlier filings and approaching deadlines are checked before the next payment run.
What do I need to do when I hire my first subcontractor?
Register as a contractor, verify the subcontractor before payment and use the result to apply the right treatment. For a standard verified deduction, take twenty per cent from their labour. Then report it by the 19th, pay HMRC and give the subbie a payment and deduction statement.
When is the monthly CIS return due and who gets fined?
The monthly contractor return is due by the 19th. If it is late or wrong, the contractor carries the filing risk and any fine, rather than the subcontractor. That is why the return, deduction payment and statement need to be treated as one monthly job.
Three ways to take the next step
Get the set-up checked
Answer a few quick questions, get a personalised recommendation and, if there is a fit, the free review.
Get a free quote 02 · A question firstWant to ask Barnaby first?
Send your question about the first subbie, the deduction or the next deadline.
Ask Barnaby a question 03 · Still decidingStill deciding how CIS should work?
Read the guides for plain explanations of contractor duties, VAT and payroll.
Read the guides →