CPD Standards Office accreditedBookkeeping Basics
No law requires a bookkeeping course, but sole traders must keep business records for at least 5 years, and limited companies must keep adequate accounting records. Lift College's 6 hour online course gives you a CPD Standards Office accredited certificate on the day you pass, which employers can verify, plus a free refresher every 3 years.
- £19.99, pay once
- CPD certificate the day you pass
- Free refresher when it is due
- 14-day money back
Accredited CPD activityThe CPD Standards Office, provider 51289. Verify accreditation
14-day money back · Pay once, no subscription
Bookkeeping Basics
You can learn the basics of bookkeeping online in the UK with Lift College. Bookkeeping Basics is 6 hours of learning in 6 short modules, each with a knowledge check, for £19.99, pay once. Your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass. We recommend a refresh every 3 years, and the refresher is free.
Every business in the UK has to keep records of its income and spending, and HMRC can ask to see them. Most small business owners do not need an accountant to keep the books, but they do need to know what to record, how to record it, and how to tell at a glance whether the business is making money.
This course covers what a beginner needs to keep a simple set of books properly: the records to keep, how double entry works, how VAT is recorded, how to reconcile the bank, and how bookkeeping software does most of the work once it is set up. It is also the quickest way to find out whether you would enjoy bookkeeping as a job before committing to the full Level 2 Bookkeeping Course.
- List the records HMRC expects a sole trader, partnership or limited company to keep, and for how long
- Explain the accounting equation and why every transaction has two sides
- Record sales, purchases, receipts and payments using double entry
- Work out VAT on a sale or purchase and record it correctly
- Reconcile a cash book to a bank statement
- Set up a business in bookkeeping software and read a profit and loss report
6 short modules, 6 hours in total.
What bookkeeping is and what HMRC expects
The difference between bookkeeping and accounting, the records every business must keep, how long to keep them, and the three business types: sole trader, partnership and limited company.
Knowledge checkBusiness documents and the accounting equation
Invoices, credit notes, receipts and remittance advices, what goes on each, and assets, liabilities and capital: the equation that every set of books has to balance.
Knowledge checkDouble entry in plain words
Debits and credits without the jargon. Recording a sale, a purchase, a payment in and a payment out, and seeing why the two sides always balance.
Knowledge checkVAT for beginners
Whether and when a business must register, the UK VAT rates, working out VAT on a price, recording VAT on sales and purchases, and what a VAT return adds up.
Knowledge checkThe bank and the cash book
Keeping a cash book, matching it to the bank statement, finding the items that explain any difference, and why a monthly reconciliation catches most mistakes.
Knowledge checkBookkeeping software and Making Tax Digital
Setting up a business in cloud bookkeeping software, bank feeds, reading a profit and loss report, and what HMRC's Making Tax Digital rules mean for VAT-registered businesses and sole traders.
Knowledge checkFinal test and your certificate
Multiple choice, 80% to pass, unlimited attempts. Your CPD Standards Office accredited certificate is issued the day you pass.
This course is for you if
- You run a small business or work for yourself and want to keep your own books properly
- You have been asked to look after the books at work and have never been shown how
- You are thinking about bookkeeping as a job and want to try it before taking the full certificate
- You want to understand what your accountant is talking about and what they need from you
- You are about to register for VAT or move to Making Tax Digital and want to understand what changes
Want the full method with a named UK tutor? The Level 2 Bookkeeping Course takes everything here further, with a named UK tutor marking real-style sets of books.
Your CPD accredited certificate, issued the day you pass.
Your certificate names Bookkeeping Basics and shows 6 hours of learning. It also shows your completion date and a recommended refresh date 3 years later.
- One price, £19.99. One payment, one learner, no subscription.
- Short modules with a knowledge check after each one and a final test. Instant results.
- 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes.
- A CPD accredited certificate as a PDF the same day you pass, carrying the CPD Standards Office mark, our provider number 51289, a unique number and a verification link.
- Access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy.
- A free refresher when your recommended refresh date arrives. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
LC-CPD-SAMPLECertificate numberAccredited continuing professional developmentCertificate of CompletionThis is to certify thatAlex Johnsonhas successfully completed the CPD course
Dr Kate StrohmManaging Director, Lift CollegeSample certificateAn example only. It has no numberand cannot be verified.LC-CPD-SAMPLELift College Limited is a CPD Standards Office accredited provider (number 51289). This course is an accredited CPD activity.This certificate confirms completion of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course. It is not an Ofqual-regulated qualification.Lift College Ltd · Registered in England and Wales, Company No. 17337303 · Unit 3 E/F Suffolk House Business Park, Ashwells Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9SG · liftcollege.co.ukA sample. Yours carries your name, the date you pass and a unique certificate number with a QR code anyone can scan to check it, or check a certificate at liftcollege.co.uk/verify.
The law this course supports
HMRC: Business records if you are self-employed
Sole traders must keep records of sales and income, business expenses, VAT records if registered, PAYE records if they employ people, and records of personal income, and keep them for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year.
Read the legislation →Companies Act 2006, section 386
Every limited company must keep adequate accounting records that show and explain its transactions and disclose its financial position with reasonable accuracy at any time.
Read the legislation →HMRC: Making Tax Digital for VAT
VAT-registered businesses must keep digital VAT records and send their VAT returns using software that is compatible with Making Tax Digital.
Read the legislation →£19.99. Pay once, nothing added.
One payment for one learner. You keep access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days and we refund you in full.
- PaySecure card payment, one time only.
- Sign inYour learner account is ready straight away.
- StartBegin module 1 the same minute.
Free refresher when it is due
We recommend a refresh every 3 years. We email you 30 days before, and from the refresh date you can retake the latest version free and download a new certificate.
Buying Bookkeeping Basics for a team?
Open a free organisation account, buy places and give each person their own login. The price falls the more places you buy.
Multiple enrolment discounts
The price of a place is set by the places in one order, on this course or any mix of our CPD courses. Saving against the £19.99 single place.
| Places in one order | Price a place | Saving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 places | £16.99 | 15% off |
| 10 to 49 | £14.99 | 25% off |
| 50 to 99 | £12.99 | 35% off |
| 100 to 249 | £10.99 | 45% off |
| 250 or more | £9.99 | 50% off |
What would your team cost?
Training each person on several courses? A sector pack or the annual plan can cost less. Your quote compares all three for you.
Prefer to talk first? Request a call back
- 1
Your own training portal in 2 minutes
Open a free account with your work email. No sales call, and no minimum order.
- 2
See where everyone stands
A progress dashboard, a training matrix and an Excel progress report for your records.
- 3
Reminders sent for you
Welcome emails, nudges for anyone who stalls, and refresher dates so nobody goes out of date.
- 4
Pay by card or invoice
Card, or invoice on 30-day terms with your PO. Places stay valid for 3 years.
- 5
A human tutor with every course
Real tutor support for your staff, unlimited free retakes and a certificate the day they pass.
- 6
Accredited by the CPD Standards Office
Provider 51289. Every CPD course is an accredited CPD activity.
Check any learner's certificate in our register →
What our learners say
Stories from Lift College learners on our qualifications, in their own words.
“I had been a care assistant for four years without a formal qualification. Lift College made the whole process straightforward, my assessor visited regularly and I completed my Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care in just over a year. I was promoted to senior care worker the month after I qualified.”
“My employer was clear, I needed GCSE English to move into a supervisory role. Lift College helped me find the right exam board and an exam centre five minutes from home. Passed grade 4. Got the promotion.”
“My employer needed me to have Level 2 maths before they could register me on the Level 3 apprenticeship programme. Lift College was fast, the tutor was brilliant, and I resit my maths once after a near-miss and passed the second time. The whole thing took twelve weeks.”
Questions about Bookkeeping Basics
Do I need any maths to do this course?
No more than adding up, taking away and working out a percentage. Every calculation is shown step by step, and in the final module the software does the arithmetic for you.
Is this course CPD accredited?
Yes. Bookkeeping Basics is an accredited CPD activity with the CPD Standards Office, the UK's research-led CPD accreditation body. Lift College Limited is a CPD Standards Office accredited provider (provider number 51289), and your certificate carries the CPD Standards Office mark and our provider number so an employer or professional body can check it.
Is this a bookkeeping qualification?
No. It is a CPD short course with a CPD Standards Office accredited certificate, designed to teach the essentials in an evening or two. If you want the full method for a job or to work for clients, take the Level 2 Bookkeeping Course, a Lift College certificate course marked by a named UK tutor. Neither is a regulated qualification.
Will this course let me do my own VAT return?
It teaches you how VAT is worked out and recorded and what a VAT return adds up, so you understand what your software is submitting. Whether you then file your own return or use an accountant is your choice; many sole traders do it themselves with compatible software.
Which bookkeeping software does the course use?
The software module walks through cloud bookkeeping software of the kind most UK small businesses use. The steps, setting up the business, connecting the bank and reading reports, are the same in every major package.
Can I do this course if I have a limited company?
Yes. Module 1 explains the record-keeping duties for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, and the methods in the rest of the course apply to all three.
How long do I keep access?
You keep your access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy. Your certificate PDF is yours to keep.
What is the free refresher?
Lift College recommends refreshing this course every 3 years, because VAT thresholds and Making Tax Digital rules change. When your date comes round, you can retake the latest version free and get a new certificate. We email you 30 days before.
Does it count towards my CPD?
Yes. The course is 6 hours of learning, shown on your CPD Standards Office accredited certificate, so you can log the hours in your CPD record.
Can I get my money back?
Yes. Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
Can my employer pay?
Yes. Your receipt shows the course, the date and the amount paid, and you can pass it to your employer. Buying for a team? Open a free organisation account: every course is £16.99, and you can pay by card or invoice with your PO.
Can my team do this course in another language?
Yes, on an organisation account with 10 or more places. Your team can study Bookkeeping Basics in Polish, Romanian, Punjabi, Urdu or Welsh, prepared within 1 working day of your order. The final test and the certificate stay in the English course name, so the certificate is the one every employer recognises. Tell us the languages you need when you order or ask for a quote.
Where can I learn bookkeeping basics online in the UK?
Lift College offers Bookkeeping Basics online for £19.99, pay once. It is 6 hours of learning in 6 short modules, and your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass.
How much does Bookkeeping Basics cost?
Lift College's Bookkeeping Basics costs £19.99, pay once, with nothing added at checkout and no subscription. That covers 6 hours of learning in 6 modules, unlimited free retakes of the final test, your CPD Standards Office accredited certificate the same day you pass and a free refresher every 3 years. Buying for a team? Every course is £16.99 on a free organisation account.
How long does Bookkeeping Basics take?
Bookkeeping Basics takes about 6 hours at Lift College, in 6 short modules you can finish in one sitting or across several, and it is designed to teach the basics in an evening or two. Each module ends with a knowledge check, then you take the final test. You pick up where you left off on any device, and your CPD certificate shows the 6 hours of learning.
How is Bookkeeping Basics assessed?
Lift College's Bookkeeping Basics is assessed online: a knowledge check after each of the 6 modules, then a multiple choice final test. You need 80% to pass, results are instant and retakes are unlimited and free. When you pass, your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day as a PDF, with a unique number and a verification link.
Can I start Bookkeeping Basics today?
Yes. You can start Lift College's Bookkeeping Basics the moment you pay £19.99: your learner account is ready straight away and you begin module 1 the same minute. Work through the 6 short modules at your pace, on any device, then take the final test: your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days and we refund you in full.
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Ready for the full method? The Level 2 Bookkeeping Course covers double entry, VAT, bank reconciliation, control accounts and software in six tutor-marked units. A Lift College certificate course.
See the course →