German
Desk
Pragmatic accounting and tax support for German businesses trading in the UK, and UK businesses trading with Germany
Whether you’re a German business setting up a UK operation, or a UK business expanding into the German market, cross-border trade brings its own accounting, tax and compliance questions. Bracey’s German desk brings together our business accounting, tax and VAT specialists to give you clear, commercial advice, communicated in your language. It doesn’t need to be more complicated.
Below is an outline of how we can support you. If you’d like to talk through your specific situation, book a free 30-minute consultation and we’ll take it from there.
Why the UK-Germany trading relationship matters
Germany is one of the UK’s largest and most important trading partners, and one of the biggest economies in the world. That scale creates real opportunity for businesses on both sides of the North Sea, but it also means getting the basics right matters: company structure, tax registration, VAT and payroll compliance, so that cross-border trade does not turn into cross-border risk.
The UK and German markets are similar in many ways. Both have business-friendly economies built around a strong base of small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family owned. That similarity is an advantage, but it doesn’t remove the practical work of registering, reporting and staying compliant in a second country.
Setting up in the UK: support for German businesses
If you’re a German business looking to establish a UK presence, whether that’s a branch, a subsidiary, or a standalone company, we can guide you through the practical steps of getting set up and staying compliant.
We help with
Company formation and structuring
Advising on the right vehicle for your UK operation, branch or subsidiary, and getting you registered with Companies House.
Corporation tax registration and compliance
Registering with HMRC and preparing your ongoing Corporation Tax returns.
VAT registration and returns
Advising on when UK VAT registration is required and managing your quarterly VAT returns.
Payroll and pensions
Setting up UK payroll, including auto-enrolment pension obligations, for any staff you employ here.
Statutory accounts and bookkeeping
Preparing UK statutory accounts to Companies House and HMRC deadlines, on cloud accounting software if you prefer to manage your own books day to day.
Audit services
Where your UK subsidiary needs a statutory or group audit, delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to your business.
We understand that starting to trade in a new country can feel daunting. Our aim is to alleviate the demands of UK accounting and tax, so that you can focus on running your business.
Expanding into Germany: support for UK businesses
If you’re a UK business looking to trade with, or set up in, Germany, we can make sure your UK affairs are in order and advise on the practical issues that arise from cross-border trade, including:
Structuring cross-border transactions
In a tax-efficient way, so profits and costs sit where they should.
International VAT advice
On goods and services moving between the UK and Germany.
On goods and services moving between the UK and Germany.
Transfer pricing considerations
Where you’re trading between related UK and German entities.
Where you’re trading between related UK and German entities.
Employment and tax implications
Of sending UK employees to work in Germany or bringing German staff into the UK business.
Of sending UK employees to work in Germany or bringing German staff into the UK business.
Repatriation of profits
Back to the UK, structured efficiently and compliantly.
Where you already have, or need, a German adviser, we’re happy to work alongside them so your UK and German accounts and tax position line up, rather than working against each other.
How Bracey’s can help
Our German desk draws on Bracey’s existing service lines, so you get one point of contact and a coordinated view of your UK obligations, rather than juggling several advisers.
| Service | What we cover |
|---|---|
| Business accounting | Statutory accounts, bookkeeping and management accounts for your UK entity. |
| Business tax | UK Corporation Tax registration, compliance and planning. |
| VAT | UK VAT registration and returns, plus international VAT advice for cross-border trade. |
| Payroll services | UK payroll and pension auto-enrolment for staff based in the UK. |
| Cloud accounting | Day-to-day bookkeeping, payroll and tax in one online system, wherever you’re based. |
| Audit services | Statutory and group audits for UK subsidiaries. |
| Personal tax | Support for German nationals relocating to the UK, or UK employees moving to Germany, including residency and self-assessment matters. |
Why choose Bracey’s German desk?
We are experienced business and taxation advisors who help individuals and organisations meet their compliance obligations, and then look beyond the compliance window to advise on the commercial position, so cross-border trade is positioned well both now and in the future.
One dedicated contact
A single account manager who understands your business, rather than a different name every time you call.
A single account manager who understands your business, rather than a different name every time you call.
Plain-language advice
Accounting and tax explained clearly, without unnecessary jargon.
A pragmatic approach
Solving problems in a sensible way that suits your business as it is, not a textbook version of it.
Solving problems in a sensible way that suits your business as it is, not a textbook version of it.
Offices across the UK
We have teams located in Hitchin, Hertford, Bishop’s Stortford, Stevenage, Cambridge, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, St Neots, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkirk and Mansfield.
If you’d like to discuss your requirements, book a free 30-minute consultation with our team. We’ll ask about your business or situation and, between us, work out how we can help.
Frequently asked questions
Does a German company need to register for VAT in the UK?
It depends on what you’re selling, to whom, and how goods or services move between the UK and Germany. Many German businesses trading with UK customers do need to register, but the rules are detailed and depend on your specific transactions. Speak to our VAT team before you start trading, so you register at the right time, not after a problem arises.
Should I set up a UK branch or a UK subsidiary?
Both are used by German businesses entering the UK market, and the right answer depends on your liability position, tax treatment and long-term plans for the UK operation. We can talk you through the practical differences and help you choose the structure that suits your business.
What UK tax will my business pay?
A UK subsidiary pays UK Corporation Tax on its profits and will usually need to register for VAT and operate UK payroll if it employs staff here. A UK branch of a German company is taxed differently again. We’ll confirm exactly what applies to your structure as part of your initial consultation.
Can Bracey's help with payroll for German staff working in the UK?
Yes. We set up and run UK payroll, including auto-enrolment pension obligations, for employees based in the UK regardless of where the parent business is located.
How do I get started?
Book a free 30-minute consultation with our team. We’ll discuss your business, your plans for the UK or German market, and set out the practical next steps, including registrations, timelines and the services you’re likely to need.
Get in touch
For pragmatic, commercial advice on trading between the UK and Germany, contact Bracey’s German desk.
Or use the online booking form to arrange your free 30-minute consultation.