Fractional CFO Services Across the UK
Not every growing business needs a full-time CFO. But every growing business needs CFO-level thinking. Based in London, I work with SaaS, AI, and tech companies across the UK on a fixed monthly retainer.
At ScaleWithCFO, I don't just review your numbers once a month. I embed into your team, attend your leadership meetings, and bring financial clarity to every strategic decision. Whether you're in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, or anywhere else in the UK, the model works the same - a combination of on-site and remote working, tailored to what your business actually needs.
New to the model? Read the 2026 UK fractional CFO guide or skip ahead to how to hire a fractional CFO. London-based founders — see fractional CFO London for the local landscape.
What a Fractional CFO Does for UK Businesses
Senior financial leadership across every area that matters.
Financial Strategy & Planning
Building your financial model, setting meaningful KPIs, creating budgets tied to your growth plan, and running scenario analysis. This includes long-range planning, monthly reforecasts, and making sure your financial plan connects to your commercial strategy - not just your accounting.
Cash Flow Forecasting & Management
Cash kills more UK startups than bad products. I build 13-week cash forecasts, optimise your working capital cycle, manage burn rate, and make sure you never get surprised by a cash crunch. For SaaS businesses, that means understanding the gap between revenue recognition and cash collection.
Fundraising & Investor Relations
Whether you're raising a Seed round, Series A, or preparing for exit, I build the data room, prepare investor-ready financials, model your unit economics, and present a compelling financial narrative. I've supported multiple UK SaaS fundraises and know what UK and European VCs look for.
Management Accounts & Board Packs
Monthly management accounts that actually tell you something useful. Not just a P&L and balance sheet - SaaS metrics like MRR, churn, LTV:CAC, and net revenue retention, presented in a way that drives decisions. Plus board packs that keep investors informed and confident.
Exit Planning & Valuation
If you're thinking about an exit in the next 12-24 months, now is when the financial preparation starts. I help UK founders build the financial story that maximises valuation - clean accounts, defensible projections, and a narrative that buyers and investors trust.
Why UK Founders Choose a Fractional CFO
Most UK SaaS companies between Seed and Series A aren't ready for a full-time CFO. A senior finance hire comes with significant salary, equity, benefits, and the risk of hiring the wrong person. But you still need the strategic thinking.
A fractional CFO gives you that expertise for a fraction of the cost. Typically 1–3 days per week, scaling up when you need it - fundraising, board meetings, year-end - and scaling down when you don't. It's the model that's taken off across the UK because it matches how modern businesses actually operate.
Who I Work With Across the UK
The businesses I work with share a few characteristics: they've found product-market fit, they're growing but the finances feel chaotic, their investors are asking harder questions, or they're preparing for a fundraise or exit.
Most are SaaS, AI, or tech companies based in London, but I also work with founders in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, and across the UK. Typical engagements start at 2 days per month and go up to 3 days per week, depending on complexity and what's on the horizon.
How the Engagement Works
A fixed monthly retainer, not day rates. You know exactly what you are paying and you can call as often as you need without watching the clock. Month-to-month terms with 30-day notice.
A typical engagement includes weekly or bi-weekly financial review calls, monthly board pack preparation, quarterly strategic financial planning, on-demand advice between scheduled calls, and introductions to accountants, auditors, and banking partners.
Pricing is scoped in writing after the discovery call, NDA, and access to your financials — once we understand the actual scope of work. No day rates, no tiered packages, no surprise invoices.
Fractional CFO vs Finance Director
Fractional CFO
- Senior finance leader (qualified accountant / ex-corporate CFO)
- 1–3 days per week
- Strategy, financial modelling, investor relations
- Board-level thinking
- Monthly retainer, month-to-month terms
Finance Director
- Mid-level finance leader
- 3–4 days per week
- Operational finance and compliance
- Day-to-day financial management
- Full-time or senior part-time salary
Signs Your SaaS Company Needs a Fractional CFO
You have no monthly forecast, or your forecast is wildly inaccurate.
You are surprised by your bank balance at month-end.
You do not know your unit economics - CAC, LTV, churn - and your financial statements are always late or missing.
You are approaching a funding round and your board is asking for monthly reporting you cannot produce.
Investors are asking about unit economics and you are making it up.
You cannot quickly answer what your runway is or how much you are burning.
You are considering a major hire and do not know if you can afford it.
Your founder is spending 20+ hours per week on financial admin instead of growth.
How We Work
Every engagement starts with a discovery phase.
- Review your current financial state - P&L, balance sheet, cash position
- Identify what reports exist and what is missing
- Understand your business model and growth trajectory
- Pinpoint the immediate pain points
- Review and restructure your chart of accounts
- Build your first proper monthly financial package
- Define the 8-12 KPIs that matter for your business
- Clean up old accounting entries, misclassifications, and reconcile accounts
Frequently Asked Questions
An accountant focuses on recording transactions, preparing tax returns, and compliance. A fractional CFO focuses on strategy, financial insight, and decision-making.
Project-based engagements are available for specific deliverables - preparing a fundraising model, building a data room, running a financial audit for due diligence. Scope and fees are agreed in writing after the discovery call and NDA.
Typically 2 to 4 hours per month. You will attend a monthly review call of about 90 minutes, perhaps a board pack call of an hour, and be available for occasional questions.
Yes, though fractional CFO services make more sense once you are tracking meaningful traction. Project-based work suits very early companies needing financial model setup.
Most engagements are 6 to 12 months initially, sometimes longer. Services operate on month-to-month terms with 30-day notice for flexibility.
Yes, the service includes role definition, candidate screening, and ensuring good fit for SaaS scale-ups as part of ongoing engagements.
Ready to bring CFO-level thinking to your business?
Free 15-minute call. No obligation, no day rates.