About Butler & Co
Nearly four decades of specialist advice,
rooted in Hampshire.
Founded in 1986 by Julie Butler FCA, Butler & Co has grown from a family farmhouse practice into one of the UK's most respected specialist firms for farming, equine and rural taxation — ICAEW-regulated, probate-licensed, and a registered training firm.
Our story
Founded in 1986 — a Hampshire firm with national reach
Butler & Co was founded by Julie Butler FCA in 1986, operating initially from the family farmhouse in Bramdean. The Alresford office — now at The Old Stables, Sutton Manor Farm, Bishop's Sutton — opened in 1992, ideally situated between Winchester and Basingstoke.
From the outset, the firm's vision combined proactive accounts preparation, tax planning, and specialist advice on Probate, Trusts and Estates — a breadth of service that remains central to what Butler & Co offers today.
The firm holds an ICAEW licence for non-contentious probate — a rare authorisation among accountancy practices — and is a registered ICAEW training firm, reflecting its commitment to developing the next generation of qualified professionals.
Why it matters
Why choose a Chartered Accountant?
The designatory letters ACA and FCA are not honorary — they represent a rigorous pathway that sets Chartered Accountants apart.
ICAEW membership requires a minimum three-year training contract, a demanding programme of professional examinations, ongoing CPD obligations, and the maintenance of professional indemnity insurance. Fellows (FCA) have demonstrated sustained commitment to the profession beyond initial qualification.
Butler & Co's directors hold qualifications across ICAEW, ACCA, ATT and AAT — and the firm's status as a registered ICAEW training firm means those standards are actively passed on to the next generation of practitioners working here.
The directors
Meet the people who lead the firm
Lucy Butler
Managing Director — FCA MAAT
Lucy joined Butler & Co in 2007 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA) and a Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (MAAT). She leads the firm's Farming & Equine Department, assisting rural entities and individuals with day-to-day accountancy and taxation, HMRC enquiries, and complex farm tax matters for other accountants and solicitors. Lucy grew up on the family farm in Bramdean with a passion for horses, and outside work enjoys obstacle course racing and running events.
Fred Butler
Tax Director — MSc ATT
Fred joined the Butler & Co tax team in 2012. He holds a Master's Degree from the University of Bristol, is a Member of the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT), and has achieved the Certificate in Probate and Estate Administration. Fred specialises in Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax, probate matters and deceased estates, and structuring equine businesses for tax efficiency. He works as part of a dedicated enquiry team with a particular focus on IHT mitigation. Fred grew up on the family farm surrounded by horses and continues to ride.
Julie Butler
Founding Director — FCA
Julie qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1980 and founded Butler & Co in 1986. Her focus is farm and equine tax matters. She is the author of Tax Planning for Farm and Land Diversification (10th edition forthcoming 2025), Butler's Equine Tax Planning (3rd edition), and co-author of Stanley: Taxation of Farmers and Landowners. Julie has edited Farm Tax Brief since 2017 (published ten times per year) and lectures to accountants, solicitors and tax advisers on agriculture, probate and equine matters. Her work has been published in the national accountancy and tax press and quoted in Farmers Weekly and the broadsheets.
Andy Case
Director — FCCA
Andy is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) with over 20 years in practice. He is a co-author of farming articles published in Taxation and is regularly named by clients as their personal point of contact for business accounts — a testament to the relationships he builds and sustains.
The wider team
Specialists at every level
The directors are supported by a team of qualified and part-qualified professionals whose expertise spans tax, accounts, and estate administration.
Among them, Libby James ACA CTA is a co-author of multiple farming and tax articles published in Taxation, Tax Adviser and the STEP Journal. Angela Evans is recognised by clients for her careful handling of probate and estate administration work, including complex estates managed over extended periods.
As a registered ICAEW training firm, Butler & Co is always looking for talented individuals who want to build a career in specialist rural and agricultural accountancy.
Client voices
"A very friendly and caring firm who will answer your queries however small and still make you feel good about it all."
"We need our accounts to be accurate and on time, along with professional and caring advice. Andy at Butler & Co always delivers and we congratulate him and his colleagues for being at the forefront of business life in Alresford for the last 20 years. Long may it continue."
Stephen Glaister, The Alresford Linen Company Ltd
"They are amazingly responsive to any requests or questions, they give great pragmatic and helpful advice about accountancy and tax issues, and they produce accurate and timely accounts and company/personal tax returns."
Mike Howarth, Managing Director — client for 4 years
Ready to work with a firm that
genuinely specialises?
Whether you need specialist farm tax advice, estate administration, or straightforward business accountancy, Butler & Co has the qualifications and the experience to help.