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Tax Preparers

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Most UK employees never file a tax return, because PAYE collects the tax as they are paid. Self Assessment exists for everyone else: the self-employed, landlords, company directors with untaxed income, people with capital gains to report, and people whose affairs have simply become more complicated than a tax code can handle.

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A tax preparer turns a year of records into a return that is complete and consistent. That means gathering the income sources, applying the right reliefs and allowances, reconciling to what HMRC already knows, and filing on time. Preparation is a compliance job with hard deadlines, and the penalties for missing them are fixed and automatic rather than negotiable.

Two things are worth being clear about before you hand anything over. First, the return remains legally yours: gov.uk states that you are still responsible for your own tax even when an agent submits it, and you are expected to check the figures. Second, anyone charging for this work is a tax agent in HMRC's eyes and is covered by HMRC's standard for agents, whether or not they belong to a professional body.

Signs you need to file a Self Assessment return

  • You worked for yourself and earned more than £1,000 in a tax year, which is the point at which sole trader registration is required.
  • You let out property in the UK, including while living abroad.
  • You have untaxed savings, dividend or other income that PAYE has not collected.
  • You sold an asset and have a capital gain to report.
  • You received a notice to file from HMRC, which creates the obligation whether or not you think you owe anything.
  • You have foreign income or gains and were UK resident in the relevant year.

The Self Assessment calendar

The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. If you need to complete a return for the previous year and are not already registered, you must tell HMRC by 5 October, or within three months of a notification letter if that comes later.

A paper return must reach HMRC by 11:59pm on 31 October. An online return must be submitted by 11:59pm on 31 January, and the tax is due by the same time. If you want an amount collected through your tax code instead, the online return has to be in by 11:59pm on 30 December.

There is a second payment date of 31 July for those making payments on account. Those instalments are payments towards the following year's bill, which is the single most common source of surprise for people filing for the first time.

What preparing a return actually involves

  • Pulling together income sources: employment, self-employment, property, dividends, interest, pensions and anything foreign.
  • Reconciling employment figures to the P60 and to benefits reported by the employer.
  • Reviewing expenses for what is actually allowable against the trade rather than merely paid for by the business.
  • Checking reliefs and allowances that people miss, including pension contributions and gift aid.
  • Computing any capital gains and the base cost behind them.
  • Sending you the draft for approval before anything is filed.

Penalties for filing or paying late

Late filing triggers an initial £100 penalty even if there is no tax to pay. After three months, daily penalties of £10 apply for up to 90 days, to a maximum of £900. At six months there is a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater, and the same charge again at twelve months.

Late payment is charged separately. Penalties of 5% of the tax unpaid apply at 30 days, six months and twelve months, and interest runs on the amount owed on top of that.

These stack. A return that is a year late with tax outstanding can attract filing penalties and payment penalties and interest at the same time, which is why filing on time matters even when you cannot pay on time.

Returns a preparer commonly handles

  • A straightforward sole trader return with one trade and simple expenses.
  • A landlord return covering several properties, finance costs and periods of vacancy.
  • A director's return combining salary, dividends and benefits reported by the company.
  • A return with capital gains, where the base cost and reliefs need documenting.
  • A return for someone arriving in or leaving the UK part way through a tax year.
  • Catch-up work covering several outstanding years at once, usually alongside a disclosure.

The return is yours, even when someone else files it

Gov.uk puts it without ambiguity: you remain legally responsible for your own tax, and if an agent submits your return you should check the information and confirm that it is correct. A preparer's mistake does not move the liability to them as far as HMRC is concerned.

That has a practical consequence. Read the draft. Check that the income sources are all there, that the expense figures look like the business you recognise, and that nothing has been claimed that you cannot evidence. It takes twenty minutes and it is the only point at which errors are cheap to fix.

It also means an agent who will not show you the return before filing it is doing something wrong.

Checking a preparer who is not chartered

  • Ask which body supervises them for anti-money laundering, or whether they are registered with HMRC for it; one of the two must apply.
  • Ask how they will be authorised to act: a 64-8 or a digital handshake, never your own sign in details.
  • Ask whether they carry professional indemnity insurance and for how much.
  • Ask for the engagement terms in writing, including what happens if a deadline is missed.
  • Be wary of a refund-share fee model, where the preparer takes a cut of whatever HMRC repays.
  • Check the firm's own details on the Companies House register if it trades as a limited company.

Tax Preparers: frequently asked questions

What happens if I miss 31 January?

You get an automatic £100 penalty regardless of whether tax is owed. After three months, daily penalties of £10 start, capped at £900. At six and twelve months there are further penalties of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater. Late payment penalties and interest are charged on top.

Can I still file on paper?

Yes, but the deadline is earlier: HMRC must receive a paper return by 11:59pm on 31 October. The online deadline is 11:59pm on 31 January.

What is a payment on account?

It is an instalment towards the following year's tax bill. Gov.uk notes a second payment deadline of 31 July for people making them, alongside the 31 January date. For a first-time filer this often means paying more in January than the year's bill alone, which is worth planning for.

Do I need to register before I can file?

Yes. You must tell HMRC by 5 October if you need to complete a return for the previous tax year, or within three months of a notification letter if you are registering after that. Sole traders must register for Self Assessment once they earn more than £1,000 in a tax year, and can register earlier by choice.

Will Making Tax Digital replace my annual return?

For sole traders and landlords within scope, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax changes how you report, with the rollout phased by qualifying income from 6 April 2026 onwards. Check the HMRC eligibility guidance for your own threshold and start date rather than assuming your first year has arrived.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK — Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines
  2. GOV.UK — Self Assessment tax returns: penalties
  3. GOV.UK — Set up as a sole trader
  4. GOV.UK — Authorising an agent to deal with your tax affairs
  5. HMRC — Check if you're eligible for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
  6. HMRC — The standard for agents

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the fees tax preparers charge

Fees depend on the work involved and how the professional bills. We only publish fee ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the fee:

  • Scope and complexity of the work
  • How the professional bills: hourly, flat fee or retainer
  • Experience and seniority of the person doing the work
  • Deadlines and how urgent the work is
  • Third-party costs such as filing, registration or government fees

How to compare tax preparers before you hire

  • Check that they are licensed or registered for this work where you live, on the regulator’s public register.
  • Look for experience with matters like yours, and ask who will actually handle your file.
  • Ask how they charge before any work starts, and get the terms in writing.
  • Compare two or three professionals before you decide.
  • Be wary of anyone who guarantees a particular outcome.

Questions to ask tax preparers before you hire

  • Are you licensed or registered for this work, and with which body?
  • Have you handled matters like mine before?
  • Who will do the work, and who will I deal with day to day?
  • How do you charge: hourly, a flat fee or a retainer?
  • What is included in your fee, and what costs extra?
  • Will you confirm the scope and fees in a written engagement letter?
  • Do you carry professional liability insurance?

Licences and registration

This kind of work is often limited to licensed or registered professionals, and the rules depend on where you are. Ask which body they’re registered with, and check their status on that body’s public register before you hire.

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