Food Delivery Services

Accountants for Food Delivery Services Helping You Stay Profitable and Organised

The UK’s food delivery sector has grown rapidly with platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats, alongside meal kits such as Gousto and HelloFresh. But with rising demand come major challenges—staffing shortages, delivery errors, VAT complexity, supply chain delays, and fuel costs all affect service and profit. As trusted accountants for food delivery services, Apex Accountants offers tailored tax planning, accurate bookkeeping, and sector-specific advice to help businesses stay compliant and financially focused.  Our team also acts as experienced tax advisors for food delivery companies, guiding clients through changing regulations.

Market Insights: UK Food Delivery Services

The UK food delivery sector continues to experience significant growth, driven by evolving consumer habits and technological advancements.​

  • In 2024, the UK food delivery market reached £3.8 billion, with expectations to grow to £63.75 billion by 2029.
  • Active users are anticipated to comprise 63.7% of the meal delivery market by 2024, indicating a strong consumer shift towards on-demand food services. 
  • Gen Z and Millennials are the primary drivers of growth, with Gen Z averaging 4.5 food delivery orders per month and Millennials spending over £60 per order.
  • Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats dominate the UK market, holding 45%, 27%, and 27% market shares, respectively.

Apex Accountants offers tailored financial solutions and expert tax advice for food delivery companies to help businesses stay ahead.

Sector-Specific Accounting and Tax Services by Accountants for Food Delivery Services in the UK

At Apex Accountants, we offer tailored financial services designed for food delivery companies. We understand the sector’s challenges, and we can help businesses stay compliant, organised, and ready to grow.

Tax Services

  • Corporation Tax filing and compliance
  • VAT registration, returns, and advice
  • R&D tax relief support
  • Strategic tax planning

Accountancy Services

  • Bookkeeping and annual accounts
  • Management reporting and KPI tracking

Business Consulting

  • Growth strategies and operational support
  • Budgeting and financial forecasting
  • Director-level coaching

Outsourced Services

  • Virtual CFO for financial oversight
  • Cloud Accounting for Food Delivery Startups with real-time access

Partner with Apex Accountants for reliable, sector-specific support that keeps your delivery business running smoothly using our cloud accounting for food delivery startups approach.

Challenges in the UK Food Delivery Sector and Apex Accountants’ Solutions

The UK food delivery industry is experiencing rapid growth. However, this expansion brings several challenges:​

  • Rising Operational Costs: Fuel prices and supply chain disruptions are increasing expenses for delivery businesses 
  • Labour Issues: Strikes and disputes over pay and conditions have affected major platforms like Deliveroo and Uber Eats .​
  • Regulatory Compliance: Navigating complex VAT rules and tax obligations can be daunting for businesses.​

Apex Accountants offers tailored solutions to address these challenges:​

  • Financial Management: Providing accurate bookkeeping and management reporting to help businesses monitor expenses and profitability.​
  • Tax Services: Assisting with VAT compliance, tax planning, and R&D tax relief claims to optimise financial efficiency.​
  • Business Consulting: Offering strategic advice on operations, growth strategies, and budgeting to support sustainable expansion.​

By partnering with Apex Accountants, food delivery businesses benefit from practical tax advice for food delivery companies that simplifies decision-making.

Why Food Delivery Services in the UK Need Sector-Specific Accountants

Food delivery businesses deal with mixed revenue streams, third-party platform fees, and high-volume transactions—all requiring detailed tracking. Driver pay structures, split between employees and subcontractors, further complicate payroll. Add to that the challenges of perishable stock and handling of refunds, and sector-specific VAT rules quickly fall short in generic accounting.

One-size-fits-all firms miss these nuances, risking errors, penalties, and missed claims. That’s why more businesses are turning to tax advisors for food delivery companies who understand the detail behind every transaction.

Specialist Support for Self-Employed App-Based Drivers

Accountants for Uber

If you’re working as a driver with Uber, you’re not considered an employee but a self-employed contractor. This makes you fully responsible for tracking your income, recording expenses, and filing your taxes correctly. 

At Apex Accountants, we specialise in supporting Uber drivers with accurate bookkeeping, self-assessment tax returns, and advice on allowable expenses like vehicle costs, fuel, and mobile usage. As experienced accountants for Uber, we make sure your claims are compliant with HMRC rules and that you’re never caught out by deadlines or overlooked deductions. Whether you’re new to driving or already well-established, we provide the clarity and structure you need to stay tax-efficient.

Ola Accountants

Driving for Ola offers flexible income but comes with its own tax duties. You’re not an employee, so it’s your job to handle self-assessment, National Insurance, and accurate record-keeping. As trusted accountants for taxi & delivery drivers, we support Ola drivers with everything from setting up with HMRC to preparing your tax returns. We guide you on what you can claim—like vehicle costs, insurance, and maintenance—making your tax position clear and correct from the start.

Bolt Accountants

Working with Bolt gives you the flexibility to choose your hours—but also the responsibility of managing your own taxes. Since Bolt drivers are classed as self-employed, it’s essential to track income and claim the right expenses. As experienced accountants for taxi & delivery drivers, we help Bolt professionals with HMRC registration, UTR setup, and self-assessment tax returns. From fuel and insurance to mobile data and toll charges, we make sure everything is recorded correctly. Whether you’re driving part-time or full-time, we’ll help you stay compliant and efficient.

Accountants for Deliveroo

Deliveroo riders are self-employed partners—not employees—which means you’re in charge of declaring your earnings and submitting annual tax returns. At Apex Accountants, our accountants for deliveroo make tax easy for delivery riders, helping you track income, claim back eligible expenses like motorbike servicing, work-related phone use, and safety gear, and stay fully compliant with HMRC rules. 

We understand how fast-paced the job is and how difficult it can be to organise paperwork while juggling customer ratings and delivery times. That’s why we provide ongoing support, from setting up with HMRC to filing your tax return—giving you more time to focus on deliveries, not documents.

Self-Assessment Tax Returns for Deliveroo, Uber, Ola, and Food Delivery Drivers

If you drive for Uber, Deliveroo, Ola, or work as a self-employed courier, you may be paying more tax than you need to. At Apex Accountants, we help delivery drivers claim allowable expenses and reduce their tax bills—legally and effectively.

You can deduct a wide range of business expenses through your self-assessment tax return, as permitted by HMRC:

  • The cost of purchasing a work-only vehicle
  • Car insurance and public liability cover
  • Servicing, repairs, and car cleaning
  • Fuel and mileage used for deliveries or passenger transport
  • Interest paid on car finance used for work
  • Work-related vehicle equipment such as mats, tools, or safety items
  • Mobile phone, data plan, and accessories used for work
  • Toll charges paid during delivery or passenger jobs
  • Professional driving courses related to your work
  • Refreshments or small items provided to customers (e.g., bottled water, snacks)

We simplify the process, ensuring your compliance and enabling you to claim your entitlements. 

Why Choose Apex Accountants

With over 20 years of experience, Apex Accountants understands the unique needs of food delivery businesses across the UK. As specialist accountants for food delivery services, we handle everything  from VAT and payroll for drivers to R&D claims and cash flow reporting. We handle the financial details so you can focus on service.

Clients trust us for clear advice, quick support, and practical solutions. We use leading cloud tools, provide tailored reports, and stay by your side as your business grows.

Apex Accountants is more than your accountant—we’re your partner in financial clarity and compliance.

Simplify your food delivery finances with Apex Accountants

Frequently Ask Questions

We provide bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll, R&D tax claims, management reporting, and tax planning tailored for food delivery businesses.

Yes, we specialise in VAT treatment for aggregator platforms, including split revenues, service fees, and cross-border considerations.

Absolutely. We handle payroll whether drivers are on PAYE or engaged as subcontractors, including pension and HMRC submissions.

Yes, if you're using tech or apps to improve delivery processes, you may qualify. We assess and submit R&D claims on your behalf.

We provide forecasting, budgeting, and real-time reporting through cloud accounting tools to help you manage cash effectively.

Yes. We prepare and file your year-end accounts, Corporation Tax returns, and ensure compliance with Companies House and HMRC.

Yes, we act on your behalf, manage communication with HMRC, and provide expert advice to resolve the matter efficiently.

Definitely. We support small start-ups, growing multi-location operators, and franchisees with flexible packages.

We work with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and FreeAgent, integrating them to suit your delivery model and reporting needs.

With over 20 years of sector experience, we offer practical, fast, and clear financial advice that keeps your business compliant and profitable.

Insights & Articles

Hear From Our Clients

From Uber to Deliveroo, our clients rely on us for clear support that keeps their finances in order and tax bills under control.

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