UK Accountants for British Expats & Residents of China
Expert UK accounting and tax support for China-based individuals who own or run UK businesses
5.0 Google Rating
UK businesses trust us with their finances
Dedicated Finance Team
Real accountants. Real tax expertise
ROI-Focused Accounting
Our clients save more than they pay us
Payroll, VAT & Corp. Tax
Complete compliance under one roof
Who We Support in China as UK Accountants
China-Based UK Company Owners
Operating a UK-based company from China may create difficulties in terms of accounting documentation and deadlines. We provide you with agreed-upon accounting and tax documents, reconcile transactions and provide you with explanations regarding numbers which require your approval. In addition, we make sure that shareholders’ investments, expenses and withdrawals are separated from each other so that your UK accounts are clear for you.
Amazon and Marketplace Sellers
Payment from the marketplace may not present an accurate reflection of your income and expenses. We reconcile settlement reports with your sales, commissions, refunds, advertising expenses and all other deductions to make your accounts reflect reality. Moreover, we consider the application of UK VAT with regard to your sales process since VAT treatment may vary based on the location of your goods and sales procedure itself.
Direct-to-Customer Retailers
If you sell on your website, your accounts must connect orders, payments, and refunds. We compile and analyse these transactions in relation to the UK VAT treatment depending on the location of your goods and the way you sell to customers. This ensures that sales made directly on the website are separated from marketplace sales for the purpose of the correct VAT treatment.
Importers and Wholesalers
Supplier deposits, freight costs and customs documentation can provide some missing information in your accounting records. We compile these records, reconcile your supplier accounts and help determine the data required for preparing your accounts and VAT filings for the UK. We also assist you in keeping track of any commitments for purchases to understand how future purchases can impact your finances.
UK Property Investors
Our uk accountants assist investors from China in managing their UK rental records, tax filings and compliance. We organise income and expenses on a per-property basis wherever necessary to give you a better understanding of the performance of each property. Before selling any property, we help you determine the UK tax implications and filings required.
UK Accounting Support for British Expats and Other Residents of China
Non-resident taxpayers often find the changing nature of the UK tax system difficult to deal with. Our aim is to make your interaction with the UK tax authorities a simple process, while also giving our offshore clients the tools and support needed to effectively and confidently manage their tax affairs.
Company Accounts and Tax
We prepare UK annual accounts and Company Tax Returns, including the analysis of the director’s loan account, foreign purchases and any related expenses. Before submission, we provide explanations on significant balances and tax liability to help you understand what you are dealing with.
Marketplace Reconciliation
We reconcile the marketplace reports with money received, distinguishing between sales, refunds, fees and other transactions. This way, we can explain any difference in settlements and why the money received by you does not coincide with your turnover.
UK VAT Reviews and Returns
We incorporate your supplier payments, expected marketplace settlements and overheads in a cash flow projection. This helps you to purchase your inventories while factoring in all the tax liabilities and overheads associated with running your business.
Cash Flow Forecasting
We check your import VAT records against the supporting documents. Depending on how import VAT is accounted for, this may include a C79 certificate or a postponed import VAT statement. Having the right documents in place helps you prepare the VAT return and reclaim input tax correctly.
Stock and Product Reporting
We organise your purchase and inventory records to enable you to have a more accurate understanding of your product costs in your management accounts. In the places where the numbers are available, we assist you in analysing your margins after considering all the appropriate fulfilment, marketplace and advertising expenses.
Import VAT Records
We examine your import VAT records against the documents provided. Depending on your method of calculating import VAT, this may include a C79 certificate or postponed import VAT report. Having the required documentation assists you in preparing your VAT return and making claims for recovery of input tax.
Request a quote or ask for advice
We work with a wide range of businesses on a national level and can give you the friendly and expert accounting advice you need.
Common UK Accounting Challenges We Solve for Non-Residents
Payouts Do Not Match Sales?
The market settlement often contains sales in one month along with returns, fees, and other corrections related to another month. We match marketplace reports and settlement files, along with bank statements. In this way, we can analyse the details related to payments made in the form of fees, ads, etc., separately. This allows us to examine discrepancies instead of making unknown payments appear as expenses or unrecorded sales in your accounting files.
Unsure Who Accounts for VAT?
The marketplace does not automatically influence the VAT treatment of each transaction. We check the transactions done directly on the website and marketplace sales separately. Depending on the location of stocks, type of customers and location of the sellers for VAT purposes, we establish UK VAT treatment for your sales and prepare returns, including discrepancies needing additional clarifications or VAT specialists’ consultations.
Missing Import VAT Documents?
A shipping invoice on its own is not enough to support an import VAT claim. We cross-check your records against the C79 certificate or postponed VAT statement. This helps you supply any missing documents or resolve differences before the VAT return is prepared.
Cash Tied Up in Stock?
Large stock orders can tie up cash while goods are in transit or waiting to be sold. We prepare forecasts that include supplier payments, shipping costs, expected marketplace payouts and other bills. This helps you compare purchasing options, see when cash may be tight, and make decisions based on the funds actually available.
Unsure Which Products Make Money?
High sales do not always mean high profits, especially when the cost of goods, returns and commissions sit in different reports. We bring cost data into product or channel reports and show how shared costs have been allocated. This helps you see which products are genuinely profitable and which generate sales but leave little after fulfilment and marketing costs.
Practical Tax Planning
Separate Incorporation and Management
Chinese tax rules may treat an overseas-incorporated company as resident in China if its place of effective management is in China. We review the UK tax implications of how you run the business and identify issues that need input from a Chinese tax adviser before you finalise the corporate structure.
Understand the £135 Rule
When goods are sold to customers in Great Britain directly from overseas, the £135 threshold generally applies to the intrinsic value of the whole consignment, not to individual items. Specific conditions apply, so we review the facts to confirm the correct VAT treatment.
Build a Reliable Records Pack
Keep the following documents organised to ensure that the preparation of your UK accounting and tax filings is done consistently:
- Invoices from suppliers and payments
- Sales from the marketplace and settlements
- Inventory and fulfilment reports
- Shipping and import documents
- VAT documentation and invoices from customers
FAQs
Do Chinese sellers need UK VAT registration?
It depends on the selling model. Overseas sellers making direct sales of goods already located in the UK generally need to register and account for UK VAT, subject to the applicable exceptions. Marketplace sales require a separate assessment
Does Amazon collecting VAT remove all my UK obligations?
No. Marketplace VAT collection does not replace the company’s accounting responsibilities or settle the treatment of direct sales and other transactions. Review the seller’s full activity rather than relying on one platform setting.
Could living in China affect my personal tax position?
Yes. Mainland China considers domicile and residence; an individual without a Chinese domicile can become resident after spending 183 days or more there in a tax year. Special rules can apply to certain foreign-source income, so the UK and Chinese positions need separate reviews.
How does Reflex Accounting help non-residents reduce their UK tax bill legally?
Our accountants for Non-residents focus on property tax planning difficulties, help you navigate Double Taxation Agreements, prepare directors’ salaries, and guarantee that the right deductions and allowances are claimed. Whatever we undertake, full compliance with HMRC requirements is our first focus.