Your business has grown past the point where basic book-keeping is enough. You need someone who understands the numbers behind your decisions, who can look ahead rather than back, and who can give you the financial leadership that drives real growth.
That is exactly what our Virtual CFO service delivers.
At Consultax Chartered Accountants, we provide outsourced CFO services for ambitious UK businesses that need senior financial expertise without the cost of a full-time hire. Whether you are approaching your first fundraise, preparing to scale, navigating a period of rapid growth or simply need a clearer picture of your financial position, we bring the board-level insight your business requires.
Reliable, proactive, and results-driven, we apply the same level of dedication to your success that you bring to your business every day.
We go beyond the numbers to offer guidance that’s tailored, and built for growth.
Your goals matter, so we deliver attentive, custom support designed to guide you towards lasting success.
We prioritise clear communication, accounting support you can understand and rely on.
This is the question most business owners ask first, and it is the right one to start with.
A full-time Finance Director is a senior executive who is embedded in your business five days a week. They manage your entire finance function, sit on your leadership team and carry a salary that typically ranges from £120,000 to over £200,000 per year, before employer National Insurance, pension contributions and benefits. For large, complex organisations with significant finance teams, that investment is justified.
For most growing UK businesses, it is simply not the right stage for that commitment.
A Virtual CFO, also referred to as a fractional CFO or an outsourced finance director, gives you access to exactly the same calibre of strategic financial leadership on a flexible, part-time or retainer basis. You benefit from senior expertise precisely when and where you need it, at a fraction of the cost and without the three to six month recruitment process that hiring a full-time FD typically requires.
With Consultax, you can have a Virtual CFO engaged and working on your business within 24 hours of agreeing your proposal. There is no recruitment process, no lengthy notice period and no fixed overhead. Just immediate, experienced, senior financial support.
Here is how the two models compare side by side:
| Comparison point | Recommended Virtual CFO (Consultax) | Full-Time Finance Director |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | Typically £1,500 to £5,000 per month depending on scope | £120,000 to £200,000+ per year in salary and benefits |
| Availability | Flexible: part-time, project-based or retainer | Full-time, fixed hours and location |
| Time to Deploy | 24 to 48 hours with Consultax | Three to six months recruitment process |
| Industry Breadth | Broad experience across multiple sectors and business models | Deep knowledge of one company over time |
| Strategic Input | Forecasting, board reporting, fundraise preparation and growth planning | Company-wide strategic and operational leadership |
| Technology | Cloud-first: Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and integrated tools | May rely on legacy systems |
| Scalability | Scales up or down as your business needs change | Fixed overhead regardless of business stage |
| Best For | Startups, SMEs and growing businesses between £500k and £10m revenue | Established enterprises with large, complex finance functions |
Our Virtual CFO service is designed for businesses at a specific and important stage of growth. If any of the following situations sound familiar, it is very likely the right time to speak to us.
Our clients typically generate between £500,000 and £10 million in annual revenue. At this stage, the financial complexity of running your business has grown beyond what a book-keeper or compliance accountant can support alone, but the volume does not yet justify the overhead of a full-time Finance Director.
Most business owners come to us when one or more of these situations has arisen:
If you recognise your business in any of these scenarios, our Virtual CFO service will make a material difference to your outcomes.
Our Virtual CFO engagement is not a fixed package with rigid deliverables. It is a tailored service built around what your business genuinely needs. That said, here is what we typically deliver for our clients.
We build and maintain your financial model, covering revenue projections, cost forecasting, cash flow planning and scenario modelling. You will always know what your business looks like under different trading conditions and what decisions you need to make today to protect your position tomorrow.
We produce monthly management accounts that go beyond the numbers. Every report includes commentary, variance analysis and the key performance indicators that matter to your business. If you present to a board, investors or lenders, we prepare your financial pack to the standard they expect.
We monitor your cash position continuously and provide rolling cash flow forecasts so you always have visibility of your runway. If a problem is developing, we identify it early and advise you on the correct course of action before it becomes a crisis.
As Consultax Chartered Accountants regulated by ICAEW, we bring full tax advisory capability to your Virtual CFO engagement. We advise on the most tax-efficient remuneration structure for you and your directors, identify reliefs and allowances available to your business and ensure your corporate structure is appropriate for your stage of growth.
If you are preparing to raise equity or debt finance, we prepare the financial information that investors and lenders require. This includes your financial model, three-year projections, sensitivity analysis and the supporting narrative that presents your business in the strongest possible light. We have supported clients through seed rounds, Series A, EIS and SEIS fundraises and debt facilities.
We work with you to define the financial and operational metrics that genuinely reflect your business performance, then build the reporting framework to track them consistently. When your numbers move, you will understand why and you will know what to do about it.
We review your cost base to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for savings. Where your agency or business engages contractors, we advise on IR35 status and ensure your payroll structure is both compliant and cost-effective.
We work across a wide range of industries, including technology and SaaS businesses, marketing and creative agencies, professional services firms, e-commerce businesses and property businesses. Our advice is always grounded in an understanding of how your sector works commercially and financially.
Strategic financial advice only has value if it produces tangible results. Here is what our clients have achieved through their Virtual CFO engagement with Consultax.
A Digital Marketing Agency in London
A founder-led digital agency generating £1.8 million in annual revenue came to us because their cash position was deteriorating despite growing revenue. Within the first month, we identified that three client retainers were being consistently invoiced 45 days late relative to cost recognition, creating a structural cash flow gap. We restructured their invoicing terms, introduced a cash flow forecast reviewed fortnightly and renegotiated payment terms with their two largest suppliers. Within 90 days, their average cash position improved by £140,000.
A SaaS Business Preparing for Series A
A software business approaching its Series A fundraise engaged us six months before approaching investors. We rebuilt their financial model, produced a five-year projection with three scenario variants and created a monthly KPI dashboard covering monthly recurring revenue, churn, customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. The company successfully closed a £2.1 million round. The lead investor cited the quality of their financial information as a key factor in their decision.
A Professional Services Firm Approaching Exit
A consultancy preparing for a trade sale engaged us 18 months before the intended transaction. We normalised their accounts to reflect the true commercial performance of the business rather than the tax-minimised position they had been presenting, recast three years of management accounts and prepared a vendor due diligence pack. The business was sold at a multiple that exceeded the founder's original expectations.
A Property Business Restructuring for Growth
A property investor with a mixed portfolio of residential and commercial assets needed to restructure their holding company arrangement to facilitate a refinancing and reduce their inheritance tax exposure. We modelled three structural options, advised on the tax implications of each and worked alongside their solicitors to implement the preferred structure. The refinancing was completed within the target timeframe.
Why Consultax
Opting for our Virtual CFO services offers a strategic advantage for businesses seeking expert financial guidance.
Our Virtual CFOs collaborate with organisations of all sizes from ambitious startups to well-established enterprises across a diverse range of industries. We provide tailored financial solutions that align with your business objectives and support sustainable growth.
With a team of seasoned professionals possessing extensive industry experience, we are well-equipped to address your financial management needs. Our Virtual CFOs assist in overseeing financial operations, developing robust budgets, and ensuring compliance with tax obligations. We are committed to delivering consistent value and fostering long-term success for your business.
Led by Senior Expertise
Consultax is led by Varun Gupta, a former PwC advisor with over 17 years of experience working with businesses ranging from early-stage startups to listed companies. When you engage our Virtual CFO service, you receive senior advice from someone with genuine commercial experience, not a junior accountant working from a template.
ICAEW Regulated
We are regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. This gives you confidence that our advice meets the highest professional standards in UK accountancy and that you have access to the formal protections that ICAEW regulation provides.
Fixed, Transparent Pricing
We agree a fixed monthly fee before we begin. There are no hourly billing surprises, no unexpected invoices and no scope creep that you have not approved. You know exactly what you are paying and exactly what you are receiving.
Ready in 24 Hours
Once you approve your proposal, we onboard you within 24 hours. We gain access to your existing accounts, review your current financial position and begin delivering immediately. There is no prolonged set-up period and no delay in getting value from the engagement.
Technology-Enabled and Cloud-First
We work with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent and the full range of integrated financial tools. Your data is always accurate, always accessible and always current. We bring real-time insight rather than monthly snapshots.
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A Virtual CFO is a qualified, senior financial professional who provides Chief Financial Officer-level services to your business on a part-time, retainer or project basis. Rather than employing a full-time Finance Director, you access the same strategic financial expertise at a significantly lower cost and with far greater flexibility. A Virtual CFO advises on financial strategy, cash flow, fundraising, financial reporting, tax planning and business performance, without the overhead of a permanent executive hire.
A traditional accountant focuses primarily on compliance: preparing your accounts, filing your tax returns and ensuring you meet your statutory obligations. A Virtual CFO goes much further. They provide forward-looking financial leadership, build financial models and forecasts, support commercial decision-making and help you understand the financial implications of every significant business decision. At Consultax, our Virtual CFO service includes both elements: full compliance support combined with genuine strategic financial guidance.
The cost of a Virtual CFO in the UK depends on the scope of services, the size of your business and the frequency of engagement required. At Consultax, our Virtual CFO engagements are provided on a fixed monthly fee basis, typically ranging from £1,500 to £5,000 per month depending on the level of support you need. This represents a fraction of the cost of employing a full-time Finance Director, which typically commands a salary of £120,000 or more per year before benefits and employer costs. We provide a clear, itemised proposal before any work begins.
An outsourced finance director is another term for a Virtual CFO or fractional CFO. It describes the arrangement whereby a business accesses senior finance director-level expertise on a flexible basis rather than as a permanent employee. The outsourced finance director handles strategic financial functions including planning, forecasting, board reporting and investor relations, while the business retains full control of its commercial direction. Consultax provides outsourced finance director services across the UK.
Virtual CFO services are most valuable for businesses between £500,000 and £10 million in annual revenue that have grown beyond the capacity of a book-keeper or compliance accountant but are not yet at the scale to justify a full-time Finance Director. Businesses at this stage are typically navigating rapid growth, preparing for investment, managing increasingly complex finances or approaching a significant strategic decision such as an acquisition or exit. Startups preparing for a seed or Series A fundraise, founder-led businesses seeking to professionalise their finance function and SMEs looking to improve cash flow management and profitability are all strong candidates for our service.
If your business is growing, your finances are becoming more complex or you are approaching a significant decision that requires proper financial input, we would like to hear from you.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Virtual CFO specialists today. We will review your current position, identify the areas where we can have the greatest impact and provide you with a clear, fixed-fee proposal.
There is no commitment and no cost. Just a straightforward conversation with someone who understands business and is ready to help you move forward with confidence.