Transport and logistics businesses run on tight margins. Fuel costs fluctuate, driver wages must be managed carefully, vehicles need maintaining, and invoices must go out promptly to keep cash flowing. On top of all of that, you have VAT returns, payroll submissions and annual accounts to deal with. Most general accountants do not have a clear picture of how a haulage, courier or logistics operation actually works financially. We do, and we help transport businesses across Lancashire and the North West keep their numbers accurate and their cash flow under control.
We cover everything a transport or logistics business needs to stay on top of its finances and compliant with HMRC.
We record all your fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance and road tax throughout the year, making sure the VAT is reclaimed correctly and costs are allocated to the right vehicles and jobs.
We run payroll for your employed drivers each month and make sure subcontractor payments are handled correctly, advising on IR35 where it applies to self-employed drivers.
We help you keep track of what has been invoiced and what has been paid, giving you a clear picture of your cash flow so you always know whether enough is coming in to cover your costs.
We prepare and submit your VAT return each quarter, making sure all fuel and vehicle VAT is reclaimed correctly through Making Tax Digital compliant software.
We give you regular reports showing your income, costs and profit so you can see which contracts, routes or customers are most profitable.
We help you plan for unpredictable fuel price changes and seasonal fluctuations in demand, so quieter periods or cost spikes do not catch you off guard.
VAT reclaimed in full each quarter with nothing missed and nothing overstated
A clear view of your profit margins so you know which jobs and contracts are worth taking
All fuel, vehicle and driver costs recorded correctly so your tax bill reflects your actual position
Someone to call when fuel prices spike, a big contract comes up, or you are thinking about expanding your fleet
We work with you throughout the year, not just when a deadline is due.
Fuel is one of the biggest costs in any transport business and the VAT on it needs to be reclaimed correctly every quarter. Fleet vehicles have their own tax and capital allowance rules depending on whether they are cars, vans or HGVs. Driver wages, subcontractor payments and owner driver arrangements all have different tax treatments. And if you have vehicles used for both business and personal journeys, HMRC has specific rules about how those costs can be claimed.
Getting any of these wrong means either paying more tax than you should or creating a liability that HMRC can challenge later. We make sure every cost in your business is recorded and claimed in the right way, so your accounts accurately reflect how your business operates and your tax bill is as low as it legitimately can be.
Something we see regularly: transport business owners who are not reclaiming all the VAT they are entitled to on fuel and vehicle costs, often because their records are not detailed enough to support the full claim. Over the course of a year this can add up to a meaningful amount of money left on the table.
We help you put simple record keeping processes in place that make sure every legitimate claim is captured without adding hours to your workload.
Beyond bookkeeping and VAT, this is where a specialist accountant earns their fee.
Capital allowances reviewed on HGVs, vans and plant, so you claim the full tax relief available when you invest in your fleet.
IR35 assessments for self-employed and owner drivers, so subcontractor arrangements are structured correctly and HMRC risk is managed.
Profit-per-job, per-route and per-contract analysis, so you know exactly which work is worth taking on and which is not.
Cash flow forecasting that accounts for fuel price volatility and seasonal demand, so quieter months never catch you short.
Cloud bookkeeping set-up in Xero with mileage and fuel-card feeds connected, so vehicle costs are captured automatically rather than chased at year end.
Our transport packages start at £150/month for an owner-driver limited company doing up to £150k turnover, including year-end accounts, corporation tax, quarterly VAT and monthly bookkeeping. Businesses running payroll for employed drivers, managing a mixed fleet, or turning over £150k–£500k typically sit in the £250–£500/month range, and larger fleets are quoted individually. Fixed fee, no hourly surprises.
A lot of transport business owners know roughly what they are turning over but have a much less clear picture of what they are actually keeping after fuel, wages, vehicle costs, insurance and tax. It is entirely possible to be busy and growing but still running very thin margins without realising it until something goes wrong. We help you break your profit down by vehicle, route or contract type, so you can price jobs correctly and identify which work is genuinely worth taking on.
Yes. We assess the status of each driver engagement, help you document the decision correctly, and set up payments so subcontractors and owner drivers are paid inside or outside IR35 as appropriate.
Xero as the core ledger, connected to your fuel card and mileage tracking so vehicle costs flow through automatically rather than being reconstructed from paper receipts. If you’re on spreadsheets and want to modernise, we handle the migration end-to-end, usually within a few weeks.
We handle the whole process. We contact your existing accountant for professional clearance, request your records and prior year figures, and get you set up on Xero if you are not already using it. Most switches complete within a few weeks with no gap in your compliance cover.
Often, yes. We regularly find transport clients who were not reclaiming the full VAT they were entitled to because their records were not detailed enough to support the claim. We put simple record-keeping processes in place so every legitimate claim is captured going forward.
Yes. R&R is regulated by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). All work is signed off by an ACCA-qualified accountant.
Our head office is in Blackburn, and we work with transport and logistics businesses in Preston, Burnley, Accrington, Chorley, Leyland, Bolton, Wigan, Bury and Manchester. Being cloud-based means location barely matters for day-to-day bookkeeping, but face-to-face meetings are available at our Blackburn office when you want them, and we know most operators do not have time to spare during the working day.
Related specialities: Wholesale & retail businesses · Owner managed businesses · VAT returns & MTD · Payroll
Book a free consultation. We’ll review your last VAT return, your fuel and vehicle VAT reclaim, and your profit per job, and give you three concrete things to change — whether or not you switch to us. Call 01254 839543 or book online.
Expert Chartered Certified Accountants helping North West businesses protect and grow their income.
Friendly support from a local team that understands your business. Book your free consultation today and take the first step towards financial clarity and peace of mind.
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74 St James Road, Blackburn, BB1 8ET
We work with clients in Blackburn and across the North West, so you can get support wherever you are.
