Self Assessment accountant for sole traders, landlords and directors
As your Self Assessment accountant, UniFi Advisory prepares and files tax returns for sole traders, landlords, company directors and anyone with untaxed income, then plans ahead so you know what you'll owe well before it's due. George Nicholson, an ICAEW Chartered Accountant based in Welwyn Garden City, checks what you need to declare, claims the reliefs you're due and gets you ready for Making Tax Digital.
What's included in our personal tax service?
Everything you'd expect from a personal tax accountant: filing on time, paying the right amount and planning the year ahead, handled by the same Chartered Accountant every time.
Self Assessment tax returns
We prepare, check and file your return online, covering self-employment, rental, dividend, savings and other income, then tell you exactly what to pay and when.
Registering with HMRC
New to Self Assessment? We help you register by the 5 October deadline so your Unique Taxpayer Reference is in place well before your first return is due.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
We check whether and when MTD applies to you, set up compatible cloud software, keep your digital records in order and send your quarterly updates as your authorised agent.
Landlord tax returns
Rental profits, finance cost relief on mortgage interest, replacement of domestic items relief, joint ownership and planning for the new property income rates from April 2027.
Self Assessment for company directors
Salary and dividends from your own company on your personal return, with the 2026/27 dividend tax rise built into your planning.
Year-round tax planning
Pension contributions, Gift Aid, Marriage Allowance and the timing of income, reviewed before the tax year ends, not after it.
Who needs to file a Self Assessment tax return?
You must send a Self Assessment tax return if any of these applied to you in the last tax year (6 April to 5 April), according to GOV.UK's guidance on who must send a tax return:
- you were self-employed as a sole trader and earned more than £1,000 before deducting expenses
- you were a partner in a business partnership
- you had to pay Capital Gains Tax on something you sold or gave away (our capital gains tax calculator gives a first estimate)
- you had to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge and don't pay it through PAYE
- you're an off-payroll worker repaying a student or postgraduate loan
You may also need to file if you had untaxed income, such as rent from property or land, tips and commission, savings interest, dividends or foreign income. Being a company director isn't on the list by itself, but many directors file because of dividends from their own company. A high salary isn't a trigger on its own either: from the 2024/25 tax year, HMRC removed the income threshold that made people taxed only through PAYE send a return (HMRC Agent Update 120). If HMRC sends you a letter or email asking for a return, send it by the deadline it gives you (GOV.UK Self Assessment deadlines). If you're unsure, GOV.UK has a tool to check if you need to send a tax return.
When are the Self Assessment deadlines?
For the 2025/26 tax year, paper returns are due by 11:59pm on 31 October 2026 and online returns by 11:59pm on 31 January 2027, which is also the deadline to pay the tax you owe. If you've never filed before, you needed to tell HMRC by 5 October 2026. Source: GOV.UK Self Assessment deadlines and registering for Self Assessment.
| Deadline | What's due | Tax year |
|---|---|---|
| 5 October 2026 | Tell HMRC you need to file, if you haven't filed before | 2025/26 |
| 31 October 2026 | Paper tax return | 2025/26 |
| 30 December 2026 | Online return, if you want a bill under £3,000 collected through your PAYE tax code | 2025/26 |
| 31 January 2027 | Online tax return and balancing payment | 2025/26 |
| 31 January 2027 | First payment on account | 2026/27 |
| 31 July 2027 | Second payment on account | 2026/27 |
| 5 October 2027 | Tell HMRC you need to file, if you haven't filed before | 2026/27 |
| 31 January 2028 | Online tax return (the final declaration if you're in Making Tax Digital) and balancing payment | 2026/27 |
Missed the 5 October date? Register as soon as you can. HMRC says you could get a penalty if you tell it after 5 October 2026 (GOV.UK: register for Self Assessment). HMRC will then send you a letter or email with your own deadline for the return, 3 months from the date on it, but the tax you owe is still due by 31 January 2027 (GOV.UK Self Assessment deadlines).
To have your bill collected through your tax code, you must also already pay tax through PAYE. If you're in Making Tax Digital, your 2026/27 return must be submitted through compatible software. Every date for the year is in our 2026/27 tax deadlines calendar.
What are payments on account?
Payments on account are two advance payments towards your next tax bill, due by 31 January and 31 July. Each is usually half of your previous year's Self Assessment bill. You don't have to make them if your last bill was less than £1,000, or if you paid more than 80% of your tax at source, for example through your tax code (GOV.UK: payments on account).
The first year often catches people out. Say your 2025/26 bill is £6,000 and you made no payments on account for that year. By 31 January 2027 you pay the £6,000 plus a first payment on account of £3,000 towards 2026/27, so £9,000 in one go, then another £3,000 by 31 July 2027.
If you expect your income to fall, you can ask HMRC to reduce your payments on account. If you reduce them too far, HMRC charges interest on the difference, so we look at your likely income with you before making the claim.
What are the penalties for a late tax return or late payment?
If you're not in Making Tax Digital, a late return brings an immediate £100 penalty, and late payment brings 5% penalties at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months (GOV.UK Self Assessment penalties).
| How late | Late tax return | Late payment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £100 | Interest from the due date |
| 30 days | No extra penalty | 5% of tax unpaid |
| 3 months | £10 a day, up to £900 | No extra penalty |
| 6 months | The greater of 5% of tax due or £300 | 5% of tax unpaid |
| 12 months | The greater of 5% of tax due or £300 | 5% of tax unpaid |
HMRC also charges late payment interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 4%. That has been 7.75% since 9 January 2026, and it changes whenever the base rate does (HMRC interest rates).
Penalties if you're in Making Tax Digital
Making Tax Digital users are under a points-based system for the tax years they're in MTD (GOV.UK: penalties for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax):
- Late returns, and late quarterly updates from 2027/28: one point per missed deadline. At 4 points you pay a £200 penalty, plus £200 for each further missed deadline.
- Late payment in 2026/27: nothing if you pay within 15 days, then 3% of the tax owed at day 15, another 3% at day 30, and 10% a year from day 31. In your first year under the new rules you get 30 days instead of 15, once. Payments on account aren't covered by these penalties.
- If you joined in April 2026: your 2025/26 return, due 31 January 2027, stays under the current penalties. The new ones start with your 2026/27 return.
- From April 2027 (the 2027/28 tax year): the new penalties apply to everyone who files a personal Self Assessment return. Late payment rises to 4% at day 15 and 4% at day 30, and annual filers have a 2-point threshold.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: when it applies and how we help
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax applies to sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income is over £50,000 from 6 April 2026, over £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and over £20,000 from 6 April 2028. HMRC tests your income on the Self Assessment return from two years earlier (GOV.UK: find out if and when you need to use MTD).
| Qualifying income over | Tested on your return for | You must use MTD from |
|---|---|---|
| £50,000 | 2024/25 | 6 April 2026 |
| £30,000 | 2025/26 | 6 April 2027 |
| £20,000 | 2026/27 | 6 April 2028 |
Qualifying income is your self-employment turnover plus gross rents before expenses, so PAYE wages, dividends, pensions and partnership profit shares don't count (GOV.UK: qualifying income). HMRC won't give penalty points for late quarterly updates in 2026/27, though a late return still earns a point (GOV.UK: MTD penalties), and some people are exempt or can apply for an exemption (GOV.UK: MTD exemptions).
What do I have to do under MTD?
- Keep digital records of your business and property income and expenses in compatible software. Spreadsheets are allowed if they're digitally linked to bridging software.
- Send four quarterly updates, due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
- Submit your tax return through the software by 31 January after the tax year ends, so 31 January 2028 for 2026/27.
- Pay on the same dates as before. MTD changes how you report, not when you pay.
Can my accountant do Making Tax Digital for me?
Yes. Once you authorise us as your agent with HMRC, we can sign you up, set up compatible software, keep your digital records in order, send your quarterly updates and submit your tax return through the software (GOV.UK: sign up your client for MTD for Income Tax). You approve the figures before anything is sent.
Since September 2026, HMRC has been signing people up in stages if their qualifying income was over £50,000 in 2024/25 and they hadn't signed up themselves. If that's you, you'll need compatible software, your records brought up to date and any overdue quarterly updates sent as soon as possible (GOV.UK: if HMRC has signed you up).
Find out where you stand with our free Making Tax Digital checker, or read our guide to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Which 2026/27 rates and allowances affect your tax return?
For 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you pay no income tax on the first £12,570 (the Personal Allowance), 20% on income from £12,571 to £50,270, 40% from £50,271 to £125,140 and 45% above £125,140. The bands are unchanged from 2025/26 (GOV.UK income tax rates).
| Band | Income (2026/27) | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
The bands assume the standard Personal Allowance. The Personal Allowance and the basic rate limit are frozen until 5 April 2031. Scotland is different: Scottish taxpayers have six bands, from 19% to 48%, on wages, pensions and other non-savings income such as self-employment profits and rent. Savings and dividends are taxed at UK rates wherever you live (GOV.UK Scottish income tax).
Dividend tax on your tax return
Dividend tax rose by 2 percentage points from 6 April 2026. The first £500 of dividends is tax-free; above that, dividends are taxed at 10.75% in the basic rate band, 35.75% in the higher rate band and 39.35% in the additional rate band. Dividends that fall within an unused Personal Allowance aren't taxed either (GOV.UK income tax rates and allowances).
| Dividend tax | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend allowance | £500 | £500 |
| Basic rate band (ordinary rate) | 8.75% | 10.75% |
| Higher rate band (upper rate) | 33.75% | 35.75% |
| Additional rate band (additional rate) | 39.35% | 39.35% |
If you're a director deciding how to pay yourself, our guide to paying yourself as a director and tax savings calculator show how these rates work with salary and pension contributions. To estimate the tax on your own dividends, use our dividend tax calculator.
What National Insurance do sole traders pay?
Sole traders pay Class 4 National Insurance at 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% above £50,270. Class 2 is no longer payable: if your profits are £7,105 or more it's treated as paid, protecting your National Insurance record, and below that you can choose to pay £3.65 a week voluntarily (GOV.UK self-employed National Insurance rates). Our self-employed tax calculator works out the income tax and National Insurance on your profit.
Which allowances are worth checking for 2026/27?
| Allowance | 2026/27 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Savings Allowance | £1,000 (basic rate), £500 (higher rate), £0 (additional rate) | GOV.UK |
| Starting rate for savings | Up to £5,000 at 0%, only if other income is below £17,570 | GOV.UK |
| Marriage Allowance | If your income is below £12,570, transfer £1,260 of your allowance to a basic rate spouse or civil partner, worth up to £252 a year | GOV.UK |
| Trading allowance | £1,000 of trading income tax-free, or deducted instead of actual expenses | GOV.UK |
| Property allowance | £1,000 of property income tax-free, or deducted instead of actual expenses | GOV.UK |
| Rent a Room | £7,500 a year (£3,750 each if shared) | GOV.UK |
| Pension annual allowance | £60,000, tapered for very high earners down to £10,000 (money purchase annual allowance £10,000) | GOV.UK |
Earning over £100,000? Planning around the 60% band
There's no official 60% rate, but income in this band is taxed as if there were. Your Personal Allowance falls by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000, and is gone completely at £125,140 (GOV.UK: income over £100,000). So for every extra £100 you earn in this band, you pay £40 at the higher rate and lose £50 of allowance, which costs another £20. That's £60 in every £100, an effective 60% (our calculation, for England, Wales and Northern Ireland taxpayers). Our take-home pay calculator shows the effect on a salary.
Personal pension contributions and Gift Aid donations reduce adjusted net income. For every £1 you pay into a pension that claims basic rate relief at source, your adjusted net income falls by £1.25 (GOV.UK: adjusted net income). For example, with adjusted net income of £110,000, a personal pension contribution of £8,000 (£10,000 gross) brings it back to £100,000 and restores your full Personal Allowance.
The same planning helps with the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which starts when adjusted net income goes over £60,000 and claws back 1% of Child Benefit for every £200 above that, so all of it is repaid at £80,000 (GOV.UK: High Income Child Benefit Charge). Employees can now pay the charge through their tax code instead of registering for Self Assessment, unless they need a return for another reason (GOV.UK: pay the charge through PAYE).
How are landlords taxed in 2026/27?
In 2026/27, rental profit is added to your other income and taxed at your normal income tax rates. Individual landlords of residential property can't deduct mortgage interest and other finance costs from rental income. Instead they get a 20% tax reduction on the lowest of their finance costs, their property profits and their adjusted total income above the Personal Allowance. Unused amounts carry forward, and the reduction can't create a refund (GOV.UK: tax relief for residential landlords). Companies that let property aren't affected by this restriction.
Do landlords need to file a tax return?
Most do. GOV.UK measures this on gross property income before expenses: over £1,000 and up to £2,500 a year, contact HMRC; over £2,500, register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year ends (GOV.UK: tax-free allowances on property and trading income). As your landlord accountant, we prepare the property pages of your return and claim every relief you're due. For a first estimate of the tax on your rents, try our rental income tax calculator. Buying another property in England or Northern Ireland? Our stamp duty calculator works out SDLT, including the higher rates for additional homes.
What changes for landlords from April 2027?
From 6 April 2027, property income gets its own income tax rates: 22% (property basic rate), 42% (property higher rate) and 47% (property additional rate) in England and Northern Ireland, with Scotland and Wales able to set their own property rates. Finance cost relief will then be given at 22% instead of 20%. The rates are set in Finance Act 2026 and don't affect 2026/27 (GOV.UK technical note). Rates on savings income also rise by 2 percentage points from the same date.
Which reliefs do landlords often miss?
- Replacement of domestic items relief: the cost of replacing furniture, furnishings, appliances and kitchenware in a let dwelling, on a like-for-like basis. It doesn't cover the first purchase, or renting a room in your own home (GOV.UK: working out your rental income). Capital allowances, including the Annual Investment Allowance, aren't available for these items in a residential dwelling (HMRC manual CA23060).
- The £1,000 property allowance: useful for small amounts of property income, but it can't be combined with Rent a Room relief or the finance cost reduction.
- Rent a Room: up to £7,500 a year tax-free from furnished accommodation in your own home, or £3,750 each if the income is shared.
- Joint ownership: married couples and civil partners living together are normally taxed 50:50 on jointly held property. If your beneficial shares are genuinely unequal, you can elect to be taxed on your real shares by sending HMRC Form 17, with evidence, within 60 days of the declaration (HMRC manual TSEM9862). Unmarried co-owners are taxed on their actual shares.
Gross rents count towards Making Tax Digital qualifying income, so a landlord whose rents and any self-employment turnover came to more than £30,000 in 2025/26 must use MTD from 6 April 2027.
How does it work?
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1
Book a free call
Tell George about your income and what's changed this year. You'll get a clear quote, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
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2
Send us your records
We give you a simple list: bank and rent statements, P60s, dividend details and anything else that applies to you.
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3
We prepare and check
You see a plain-English summary of your income, reliefs and tax. Nothing goes to HMRC until you've approved it.
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4
Filed, and planned ahead
We file online, tell you what to pay and when, and flag ways to reduce next year's bill before the tax year ends.
Check your own position first
Making Tax Digital checker
Sole trader or landlord? Find out if and when MTD for Income Tax applies to you.
Check now GuideMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax
Thresholds, qualifying income, quarterly updates, software and penalties, explained step by step.
Read the guide CalendarTax deadlines 2026/27
Every Self Assessment, MTD, VAT and company deadline for the tax year in one place.
See the datesFree white paper
Making Tax Digital for sole traders and landlords 2026/27
Whether MTD reaches you and when, what to do about records and quarterly updates, and where sole traders and landlords can save tax. A short, plain-English read.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file a Self Assessment tax return?
You must file if, in the last tax year, you were a sole trader earning more than £1,000 before expenses, a partner in a business partnership, owed Capital Gains Tax, had to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge outside PAYE, or were an off-payroll worker repaying a student loan. You may also need to file for untaxed income such as rent, dividends, savings interest or foreign income, and you must file if HMRC asks you to.
Do I need to do a Self Assessment if I earn over £100,000?
Not because of your income alone. From the 2024/25 tax year, HMRC removed the income threshold that made people taxed only through PAYE send a return. You still need to file if another reason applies, such as Capital Gains Tax to pay or a High Income Child Benefit Charge you do not pay through PAYE, and you may need to for untaxed income such as rent, savings interest or dividends. Income over £100,000 also reduces your Personal Allowance, so check that your tax code is right.
Do I need to do a Self Assessment for Child Benefit?
Not necessarily. The High Income Child Benefit Charge applies if your adjusted net income is over £60,000 and you or your partner get Child Benefit, and it is paid by whichever of you has the higher adjusted net income. Employees can pay it through their PAYE tax code using HMRC's online service instead of registering for Self Assessment. You must use Self Assessment if you do not pay it through PAYE, already need a return for another reason, or it is later than 31 January after the tax year concerned. The charge is 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 of income over £60,000, so all of it is repaid at £80,000.
When is the Self Assessment deadline for 2025/26?
Online returns for the 2025/26 tax year are due by 11:59pm on 31 January 2027, which is also the deadline to pay any tax you owe. Paper returns are due by 11:59pm on 31 October 2026. If you have never filed before, you needed to tell HMRC by 5 October 2026, so register as soon as you can if you have not.
What happens if I miss the Self Assessment deadline?
Under the current rules there is an immediate £100 penalty, then £10 a day after 3 months (up to £900), then the greater of 5% of the tax due or £300 at 6 months and again at 12 months. Paying late adds 5% of the unpaid tax at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months, plus interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 4%. A points-based system replaces these from the tax year you join Making Tax Digital, and for everyone from the 2027/28 tax year.
Do I have to make payments on account?
Yes, unless your last Self Assessment bill was less than £1,000 or more than 80% of your tax was collected at source, for example through your tax code. Payments on account are due by 31 January and 31 July, and each is usually half of the previous year's bill. You can ask HMRC to reduce them if you expect your income to fall, but you will pay interest if you reduce them too far.
Do landlords need to file a tax return in the UK?
It depends on your rental income before expenses. The first £1,000 a year can be covered by the property allowance. If your gross property income is over £1,000 and up to £2,500, contact HMRC. Over £2,500, you must register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the end of the tax year. If you already file a return, include your rental income on it. From 6 April 2027, landlords whose gross rents plus any self-employment turnover were over £30,000 in 2025/26 must also use Making Tax Digital.
Can my accountant do Making Tax Digital for me?
Yes. Once you authorise us as your agent with HMRC, we can sign you up, set up compatible software, keep your digital records in order, send your quarterly updates and submit your tax return through the software. You approve the figures before anything is sent.
How much does an accountant charge for a Self Assessment tax return?
It depends on how many income sources you have and how organised your records are, so we quote for your situation before we start. You will know exactly what you are paying for, with no hidden surprises. Tell us about your income through our quote form or book a free call with George.
Can you help if I live in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK?
Yes. We are based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and work with clients across the UK online and by phone. Scottish taxpayers have their own income tax bands on earnings, pensions, self-employment profits and rental income, and we take those into account. Savings and dividends are taxed at UK rates wherever you live.
Written and reviewed by George Nicholson BFP ACA, ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Last reviewed 20 October 2026. This page is general information, not personal advice.
Get your tax return off your mind
Book a free call with George to talk through your return, your deadlines and whether Making Tax Digital applies to you.