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A typical return fee is £200 to £500 plus VAT, according to fee guides that accountancy firms published in 2026. Monthly packages that also send your Making Tax Digital (MTD) updates cost more, and prices vary widely.
There is no official price list. Every figure on this page comes from a firm's own website or fee guide, checked in October 2026. These firms have a commercial interest, and no independent survey with a current figure could be found. Treat the numbers as a guide to the going rate, not a quote.
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Published fee guides for a sole trader tax return
| Source and date | What it says |
|---|---|
| Sleek fee guide, 11 September 2026 | £200 to £350 plus VAT for a sole trader return |
| Accotax fee guide, 17 August 2026 | £200 to £500 plus VAT for a freelancer or contractor return, with CIS named as a price factor |
| ByteStart cost guide, 25 September 2026 | £150 to £300 for a one-off return; £25 to £50 a month for a basic package |
Published package prices, October 2026
Some firms sell a monthly package instead of a one-off return. These are the entry prices each firm listed on its own site in October 2026. Check what each includes before comparing.
| Firm (site) | What the entry package covers | Price listed in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| The Accountancy Partnership (theaccountancy.co.uk) | Accounts and tax return; quarterly updates extra | £24.50 a month plus VAT up to £20,000 turnover, or £29.50 up to £90,000; quarterly updates from £35 a month plus VAT |
| Mazuma (mazumamoney.co.uk) | Monthly bookkeeping, tax return and MTD updates | £38 a month plus VAT |
| Taxfix (taxfix.com) | Bookkeeping, quarterly updates and tax return | £39.99 a month including VAT |
| Gorilla Accounting (gorillaaccounting.com) | Software, quarterly updates and tax return | From £49 plus VAT; from £79 plus VAT with year-end accounts and CIS returns for up to 2 subcontractors (the page heads its prices "Fixed Monthly Fee") |
| Crunch (crunch.co.uk) | Tax return filed for users of its own software | £180 plus VAT a return |
To compare a monthly package with a one-off fee, multiply by 12 and add VAT where it is not included. For example, £38 a month plus VAT comes to £456 a year before VAT, or £547.20 with VAT at 20%.
What pushes the cost up
- More than one income source, such as a trade plus a rental property or a job.
- CIS statements. Gross pay and deductions have to be matched to every monthly statement.
- Untidy records. A carrier bag of receipts takes longer than software with a bank feed.
- VAT registration, which adds VAT returns to the work.
- Making Tax Digital. From your start date, four quarterly updates a year are due on top of the tax return.
What this means for you
If your affairs are simple, a fee at the lower end of the range is realistic. If you are on CIS, VAT-registered or about to start MTD, expect to pay more, or choose a package that bundles the quarterly updates. If your turnover before costs was over £30,000 on your 2025-26 tax return, MTD starts for you on 6 April 2027, so ask any firm what it charges for quarterly updates, not just the return.
Whoever you choose, you stay responsible for your tax. Check every figure before it goes to HMRC.
Steps to choose and agree a fee
- Use the free MTD check to find out whether and when MTD applies to you.
- Decide what you want done: just the tax return, quarterly updates as well, or the bookkeeping too.
- Get at least two quotes in writing that say exactly what is included and whether VAT is added.
- Ask whether the firm is registered with HMRC. HMRC says anyone paid to deal with it about someone else's tax must register, with the requirement brought in in stages, and money laundering supervision is also a legal requirement.
- Never hand over your HMRC sign-in details. Authorise the firm through HMRC's agent process instead.
- Agree the fee, how any tax refund reaches you and how to end the arrangement before any work starts. HMRC's standard for agents expects this.
Doing it yourself
An accountant is optional. Many sole traders file their own return, and MTD software lets you send quarterly updates yourself, and some products on the GOV.UK finder have free versions. The trades section has guides on software, CIS and the MTD start dates for builders and other trades.
Hold your place on the trades waitlist
We’ll email you when Trades Tax opens, with the founding offer while places last. No payment is taken.
Questions people ask
How much is a sole trader tax return with an accountant?
A typical return fee is £200 to £500 plus VAT, according to fee guides published by accountancy firms in 2026. A simple return with one income source is usually at the lower end.
Will Making Tax Digital make my accountant more expensive?
It can. From your MTD start date, four quarterly updates are due each year on top of the tax return. Some firms include them in a monthly package and some charge extra.
Is an accountant's fee tax-deductible?
The full self-employment pages of the tax return (SA103F) have an expense box for accountancy, legal and other professional fees, so the fee for your business accounts can be claimed there. GOV.UK says you cannot claim the cost of preparing and submitting your Self Assessment tax return itself.
Should I give my accountant my HMRC sign-in details?
No. HMRC's standard for agents says agents must never ask for your HMRC sign-in details. You authorise them through HMRC instead, and they use their own agent services account.
Do I need an accountant at all?
No. Many sole traders file their own tax return, and MTD software lets you send quarterly updates yourself. An accountant is a choice, not a legal requirement.
Sources
- The HMRC standard for agents (GOV.UK)
- HMRC registration for anyone paid to deal with HMRC for clients (GOV.UK)
- HMRC consultation on raising standards and improving registration (GOV.UK)
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- How much do accountants charge for Self Assessment? (Sleek, 11 September 2026)
- How much do accountants charge for tax returns in the UK? (Accotax, 17 August 2026)
- How much should you pay for an accountant if you're self-employed? (ByteStart, 25 September 2026)
- Expenses if you're self-employed: legal and financial costs (GOV.UK)
This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.
Righto Tax is a trading name of NJG Consultancy Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16095900. Registered office: Jubilee House, East Beach, Lytham St Annes, FY8 5FT.
What happens next
- Use the free Making Tax Digital checker to see your own start date and deadlines.
- See what Righto Tax for Trades does for you, and join the waitlist.
- Questions about this page? Email hello@rightotax.co.uk.