The Basingstoke business picture
At the Companies House snapshot of 1 September 2026, the Basingstoke post town had 6,631 active companies. In the 12 months to August 2026, 880 new companies were incorporated there. That is 132.7 new companies for every 1,000 active ones, a little below the UK figure of 137.5, and it places Basingstoke 103rd of 175 post towns with at least 5,000 companies for the rate of new incorporations, where 1st has the highest rate.
The figure that stands out is the supply of accountants. The post town has 125 accountancy firms registered as companies, which works out at 53 companies for every firm against 83 for the UK. Basingstoke ranks 169th of the 175 towns, where 1st has the most companies per firm, so it sits near the bottom of the table: there are unusually many incorporated accountancy practices for the size of its company base.
These are company figures, not business figures. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships are not on the Companies House register, so a self-employed therapist or electrician will not appear, and nor will sole practitioner accountants. Registered addresses holding 1,000 or more companies, such as formation agents, are excluded, and a registered office is not always where a company actually trades.
In practice, a Basingstoke company has plenty of accountants to choose from. The useful questions are narrower: does the accountant work every day with companies like yours, what exactly is included in the monthly fee, and will you get the same person each time you call?
Industries that stand out
A location quotient compares a place's share of companies in a trade with the UK share, so 2.21 means 2.21 times the UK share. These figures are for companies with a Basingstoke registered office. Four trades reach at least 1.15, three of them in technology and professional services.
IT consultancy (2.21)
There are 396 active IT consultancy companies with a Basingstoke registered office, more than twice the UK share. For a director who is also the only worker, the recurring question is how to take money out. Dividends come from profit after Corporation Tax, which is 19% on profits up to £50,000 and 25% above £250,000, with marginal relief in between. For 2026/27, dividends above the £500 allowance are taxed at 10.75% in the basic rate band and 35.75% in the higher rate band. One trap: if the director is the only employee liable for employer National Insurance, the company cannot claim the Employment Allowance, which changes the sums on salary. Contract status matters too, and our contractor accountants review IR35 on each contract.
Software development (1.55)
The town has 174 active software development companies. Some development work may qualify for Research and Development tax relief. For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024, most companies claim through the merged scheme, where the expenditure credit is 20% of qualifying costs. A loss-making small company that spends at least 30% of its total expenditure on R&D may instead qualify for enhanced R&D intensive support, with a total deduction of 186% and a payable credit of up to 14.5% of the surrenderable loss. Check whether you must notify HMRC in advance before you claim. More on accounting for software developers.
Management consultancy (1.17)
There are 387 active management consultancy companies in Basingstoke. Consultants who advise overseas businesses need to get the VAT right. Under the general rule for business-to-business services, the supply is made where the customer belongs, so advice to a business customer outside the UK is outside the scope of UK VAT and carries no UK VAT on the invoice. You can still recover VAT on costs that relate to those supplies. Our limited company accountants page sets out what a consultancy company needs each year.
Other human health, including therapy (1.15)
The town has 153 active companies in this group. VAT is the distinctive issue. Healthcare services are exempt only when you are registered on the relevant statutory register, such as the Health and Care Professions Council, and the main purpose is to protect, maintain or restore the patient's health. HMRC says therapists without a statutory register, including psychotherapists and hypnotherapists, cannot currently exempt their services, and purely cosmetic treatments are standard-rated. See our page for therapists.
Local practicalities for Basingstoke businesses
Business rates
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council bills business rates in the borough and takes applications for small business rate relief through its online form. There is no bill on a single property with a rateable value of £12,000 or less, and the relief tapers to nothing at £15,000. Properties with a rateable value under £51,000 are billed on the lower small business multiplier automatically, without an application. If you take on a second property on or after 27 November 2025, you keep the relief on your main property for 36 months.
Taxi and private hire licensing
The council's licensing team issues a dual hackney carriage and private hire driver's licence, and applicants must satisfy it that they are a fit and proper person. When you renew, you also need a tax check code from HMRC, and the code expires after 120 days. Drivers who are self-employed can find more on our page for taxi drivers.
Business support
The Hampshire Growth Hub is run by Hampshire County Council as part of Prosperity Hampshire. Its support is fully funded by the UK Government and includes free one-to-one advice, training and mentoring for businesses across Hampshire. The borough council's economic development team works with Love Basingstoke, which lists local networking groups and business support.
Working with an online accountant in Basingstoke
GoForma has no office in Basingstoke. We are an online accountancy practice based at 40 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0NE, and we work with clients across the UK by phone, video, email and WhatsApp. Our accountants are ACCA and AAT qualified, and FreeAgent accounting software is included in every package.
For a one-director company, the Start Bundle is £88 a month with 50% off for the first 3 months. It covers a dedicated accountant, year-end accounts and the CT600, payroll for one director and an IR35 review on every contract. The Operate Bundle at £128 a month adds VAT returns, the director's Self Assessment and the confirmation statement. Prices exclude VAT and run month to month. See every option on our packages page, or test salary and dividend splits with our take-home pay calculator.