Specialist CIS accountants
We are CIS accountants for UK construction subcontractors and contractors. Third-party reported averages put the annual refund for a registered CIS subcontractor at around £2,000 (illustrative, not guaranteed). We claim it back, then keep you compliant.
What CIS subcontractors come to us with
The 20% CIS deduction is taken before any expenses or allowances are considered. Materials, mileage, tools, PPE and van costs are never factored in at source. Most subcontractors are owed a meaningful refund at year end, but only if someone files the Self Assessment return correctly.
CIS deductions apply to labour only. The cost of materials you supply is excluded. Many main contractors apply the 20% to the full invoice value rather than splitting out materials. When that happens you overpay on every single job and the difference is recoverable.
Limited company subcontractors can reclaim CIS deductions in real time via the EPS process, rather than waiting for the annual Self Assessment return. At higher income levels the cash flow difference is significant. We model both structures for your situation.
GPS means no CIS deduction at all. You receive the full payment and settle the tax yourself. To qualify you must pass three tests and, from April 2026, maintain strict due diligence to avoid immediate revocation. We handle the application and keep you compliant.
Who we are
We are specialist accountants for CIS subcontractors and contractors. Construction under CIS is the whole of what we do, not a sideline. That focus means we understand the financial specifics of construction work in a way that a general practice does not.
The same applies to gross payment status, contractor CIS300 obligations, the EPS real-time reclaim route for limited company subcontractors, and the April 2026 anti-fraud changes that affected GPS applications. These are not things that come up occasionally for us. They are the core of what we do.
Why specialist matters
The materials split, the mileage rate, GPS qualification tests, April 2026 nil returns, EPS real-time reclaims: these are things a generalist accountant handles occasionally. They are routine in construction, and CIS is the only thing we specialise in.
Every service is built around how CIS works in practice, not generic small-business accounting.
We calculate the full refund you are owed, account for all allowable expenses, and submit your Self Assessment return.
GPS eliminates the 20% deduction entirely. We manage the application, the three qualifying tests, and the ongoing compliance that keeps GPS active under the April 2026 rules.
Annual Self Assessment filed correctly, with every allowable expense claimed. No missed mileage, no unclaimed tools, no overpayment left on the table.
EPS real-time reclaim of CIS deductions, Corporation Tax, annual accounts and Companies House filings for CIS-registered limited companies.
Monthly CIS300 returns filed on time. From April 2026, nil returns are mandatory for months with no subcontractor payments. We handle every filing, including nil returns.
VAT domestic reverse charge advice, MTD ITSA preparation, and a full review of allowable expenses: mileage at 55p per mile (from April 2026), tools, PPE and van costs.
How we work
Start with our free calculators or speak to us directly. The specialist firm you speak to sets its own fee and agrees it with you up front.
Use our free CIS calculators to estimate your refund, check GPS eligibility and work out your take-home pay. No obligation.
We review your CIS position and file your Self Assessment return, making sure every allowable expense is claimed.
Full ongoing CIS accounting: contractor returns, GPS application and maintenance, limited company EPS reclaims and MTD compliance.
What we cover
A CIS refund can be claimed up to four years back. There are more than 1.4 million CIS-registered subcontractors in the UK, and deductions are taken from the labour element only, at 20% for a registered subcontractor, 30% if you are not registered, or 0% once gross payment status is in place. Mileage runs at 55p per mile for the first 10,000 miles from April 2026. Each of those is a number on your return, and each one is somewhere a return goes wrong.
| Area | Our approach |
|---|---|
| CIS deduction base | Labour only, materials excluded (we verify every deduction slip) |
| Self Assessment refund | All allowable expenses included, filed to maximise refund |
| GPS application | Three-test assessment, application handled, compliance maintained |
| EPS real-time reclaim (Ltd Co) | CIS suffered offset against PAYE/CIS liabilities each month |
| Mileage (from April 2026) | 55p per mile (first 10,000), 25p thereafter |
| April 2026 nil returns | Filed for every inactive month, penalties avoided |
| MTD ITSA | £50k gross income threshold from April 2026 (not net) |
Every construction trade
CIS works the same way across trades, but the materials split, expenses and typical refund size differ by trade. We know the specifics.
Free tools
Every calculator is free, needs no account, and runs on the rates that apply to your tax year.
Estimate your annual CIS tax refund. See how much HMRC owes you after deductions, expenses and your personal allowance.
Open calculatorWork out the CIS deduction, net payment to your subcontractor, and HMRC remittance for any CIS payment.
Open calculatorCheck whether you qualify for CIS Gross Payment Status and eliminate the 20% deduction from your payments entirely.
Open calculatorCompare your net take-home as a sole trader versus a limited company, including the CIS-specific cash flow difference between monthly EPS reclaims and an annual Self Assessment wait.
Open calculatorReal outcomes
Composite snapshots based on patterns across our CIS clients. Names and figures anonymised. The tax mechanics are real.
“Three years filing my own returns and I never got the materials split right. First year with a proper CIS accountant and the refund was more than four times what I had been getting.”
“My contractor was taking 20% off the full invoice including materials. Once we split it out correctly and claimed the mileage, the refund was considerably larger than expected.”
“Applied for GPS on the advice of our accountant. No more 20% taken every month. The cash flow difference on a £500k-a-year turnover is enormous.”
CIS guides
Plain English articles on CIS deductions, refunds, gross payment status, VAT reverse charge and MTD. Written by specialist CIS accountants.
Get started
Book a free call. We will review your CIS deductions, identify what you are owed, and explain your options. No hard sell, no obligation.