Sole traders
Self Assessment done right, with the books kept as you go.
No surprise January bills and no 'outside scope' answers. Built for self-employed freelancers, consultants and tradespeople working as sole proprietors.
Your bookkeeping is done every month, so the tax return is a short review of numbers you have already seen.
Is this for you?
A good fit
- Self-employed, trading in your own name without a limited company.
- A side business alongside employment, where both incomes meet on one return.
- Someone wondering whether, and when, to incorporate.
Probably not for you
- Very low self-employed income, where a monthly service is out of proportion to it.
- Someone who only wants a return filed once a year with no bookkeeping.
What is included
6 things, every month
- Self Assessment return (SA100 and SA103)
- Monthly bookkeeping and bank reconciliation
- Quarterly VAT returns, if you are registered
- Cloud accounting software
- Receipt scanning and an email-in inbox
- Unlimited tax advice through the client portal
The rhythm
- Every monthBookkeeping and bank reconciliation, and any advice you ask for.
- Every quarterYour VAT return, if you are registered, prepared and submitted.
- Every yearYour Self Assessment return, with payments on account forecast in advance so 31 January holds no surprises.
Fees
Fees are quoted for your business
Our promises
Tax saved, or refunded
Save more in tax than we cost in year one, or we refund the difference. We track every penny of tax saved against what you'd have paid before. If you're not better off, we make you whole. Year one only: after that the savings compound.
First month refundable
Try us for a month. Not for you? Full refund, no questions, no exit interview. We onboard you in 48 hours, you see how we work, you decide.
Same-day replies
Direct-message your accountant. No phone tag, no inbox queue, no being passed between three people. You'll hear back the same business day, every time.
Questions
What will it cost?
It depends on your turnover and a few other things about how the business runs, so we quote each business individually. Send a message with a short description and you will have a figure in writing before any work starts.
I usually just file a Self Assessment once a year. Why work monthly?
Because once-a-year filing is a forensic exercise. With bookkeeping done monthly, the return in January is a 30-minute review of numbers you've already seen, not a four-day dig through 12 months of bank statements.
When should I incorporate as a limited company instead?
It depends: on your profit, IR35 status, dividend strategy, lenders' attitudes, future fundraising, and your appetite for compliance overhead. Incorporation analysis is part of the advice; we'll model both routes for your specific numbers before you commit.
I'm not VAT-registered. What happens if I need to be?
If your turnover crosses the registration threshold we handle registration, set you up for Making Tax Digital, and start submitting quarterly. Below the threshold we'll discuss voluntary registration if there's a case for it.
I do this alongside a PAYE job. Does this work?
Yes. Many of our sole-trader clients are employed during the day. Your return captures both the employment income and the self-employed income, and the advice covers how the two interact: pension allowance, marriage allowance, salary sacrifice.
What about payments on account?
We model them with you. First-time payers often get blindsided when the 31 January bill includes the prior year plus half of the next year on account; we'll forecast it in advance and help with reduction requests if your income is genuinely going to be lower.
Can I claim home-office costs, mileage and the rest?
Yes, where they qualify. The advice covers what's claimable: simplified mileage rates against actual costs, the flat rate for use of home against apportionment, and allowances specific to your trade. We set you up so it is categorised as the bookkeeping is done, not in January.
How do I leave if it doesn't work out?
Cancel the Direct Debit. We export your data in a clean format and hand it to your new accountant under standard professional courtesy. The first month is on a full refund. After that there is no exit fee and no contractual minimum.
Tell us how you work
A short message about what you do and how you are paid is enough to start. We reply within one business day.