Accountants for sole traders Self Assessment, MTD ITSA & tax saved.

Who we work with as sole traders

Most of our sole trader clients fall into one of four groups: freelancers and consultants who invoice multiple clients each month and want help with expenses, VAT and the limited-company decision; mobile trades — electricians, plumbers, decorators — usually with CIS deductions or considering CIS registration; creative professionals — designers, photographers, writers, content creators — often with mixed income from clients, platforms and brand deals; and service-based micro businesses like personal trainers, therapists, tutors and other professionals working with individuals. The common thread is that you're running a business by yourself, the turnover is up to around £100k, and you want the tax handled properly without paying for a full-service firm you don't need.

What we do for sole trader clients

Your core deliverable is the Self Assessment tax return — prepared, reviewed for missed claims, filed by deadline. Around that we add quarterly check-ins so we spot issues during the year rather than at year-end; expense reviews on your existing record-keeping to surface things you didn't realise were allowable; MTD ITSA preparation if you're approaching the threshold; HMRC correspondence handling so you don't have to decode their letters; and year-round email support for the small questions that crop up. If you grow into needing bookkeeping, VAT, or payroll, the Growth and Scale packages add those — same firm, same point of contact.

MTD ITSA is changing how sole traders report

From 6 April 2026, sole traders with gross self-employment + rental income above £50,000 must submit quarterly digital updates to HMRC instead of the old annual Self Assessment. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. This is the biggest change to personal tax reporting in a generation. We're working with sole traders through the transition — choosing MTD-compliant software (FreeAgent is free if you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle), setting up agent authorisation, running practice quarterly updates, then managing the live submissions on your behalf. Our free Landlord MTD ITSA Playbook covers the same rules in detail.

Sole trader vs limited company — the honest 2026/27 maths

This is the question we get asked most. The honest answer for 2026/27 is that the tax case for going limited has narrowed substantially. Below around £30,000 of profit, sole trader is almost always cheaper. Between £30k and £60k, the gap is small and often outweighed by extra accountancy and Companies House costs. Above £60k, limited company saves modestly — but only if you don't extract all the profit each year. The reason for the shift: dividend tax rates rose by 2.75 percentage points across all bands from 6 April 2026, so combined Corporation Tax + dividend tax on extracted profits is now noticeably higher than it was. We model this free in a 20-minute call — bring your last full-year profit figure and we'll show you the numbers both ways. Our free First Limited Company Setup Guide covers the maths in detail.

What's typically missed (and what it costs)

Across the sole traders who come to us from elsewhere, the same patterns repeat. Home-office costs — the simplified flat rate of £10–£26/month is rarely claimed. Professional subscriptions on HMRC's approved list (ICAEW, RIBA, IET, CIPD, etc.) — paid personally but never reclaimed. Business mileage — 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles is real money but only if a log is kept. The dividend allowance on side investments — a separate £500 dividend-tax-free band that catches people out. Class 2 NIC in voluntary form for those just below the small profits threshold — pays for itself in state pension years. None of these alone is huge, but together they often add up to £500–£2,000 a year of legitimate tax saved.

Our pricing for sole traders

Transparent monthly subscriptions, no surprise bills, cancel any time with 30 days' notice. Starter (£45/month) covers Self Assessment, expense reviews, HMRC correspondence and year-round email support — the right fit for a typical sole trader with simple income and turnover under £50k. Growth (£125/month) adds bookkeeping, VAT returns if registered, quarterly check-ins and monthly P&L — for sole traders with more complex records or who want active business support. If you grow into a limited company, the Scale (£350/month) tier covers everything plus accounts, CT600 and Companies House filings. All packages include the MTD ITSA software setup and quarterly submissions when applicable. See full services.

Where we work

Our office is at 520 Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, London IG8 8PA. We work face-to-face with sole traders across Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Epping Forest — Woodford Green, South Woodford, Wanstead, Chingford, Walthamstow, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Loughton and Epping. We also work with sole traders remotely across the UK — most of what we do happens digitally anyway. See all areas.