🧮 Do I Need an Accountant?

Answer 10 quick questions about your situation. Takes about 2 minutes.

Question 1 of 10

What's your main source of self-employed income?

One client or one type of work (e.g. freelance writing, tutoring)

Multiple clients, same type of work

Multiple income streams (e.g. freelancing + rental + investments)

Mix of employment and self-employment

Roughly how much did you earn from self-employment this tax year?

Under £12,570 (below the personal allowance)

£12,570 – £50,000

£50,000 – £100,000

Over £100,000

How would you describe your business expenses?

Very simple — home office, phone, maybe some supplies

Moderate — equipment, travel, subscriptions, some mixed-use items

Complex — vehicles, premises, staff costs, or significant equipment

Very complex — multiple categories, international costs, or large capital purchases

Are you VAT registered (or approaching the £90,000 threshold)?

No, and nowhere near the threshold

No, but I might reach the threshold this year

Yes, I'm VAT registered

Yes, and I deal with VAT on imports/exports too

Do you have any capital gains to report?

Selling property (not your main home), shares, crypto, or other assets at a profit.

Maybe — I sold some shares or crypto

Yes — I sold a property or significant assets

Yes — multiple disposals or complex situations

Do you have any foreign income?

No, all UK-based

Some clients pay me in foreign currency, but I'm UK-based

I have foreign bank accounts or overseas investments

I live/work across multiple countries or have complex residency

How confident are you with numbers and forms?

Very confident — I use spreadsheets regularly and understand basic accounting

Fairly confident — I can follow instructions but wouldn't call myself a numbers person

Not very confident — tax forms make me anxious

I actively avoid anything to do with numbers

How much is your time worth?

A basic self-assessment might take 3-8 hours to prepare and file. An accountant typically charges £150-£400.

I'd rather spend the time and save the money

I could go either way — depends how complicated it is

My time is definitely worth more than an accountant's fee

I'd pay anything to not deal with this myself

Is your business growing or changing?

Steady — same thing year to year

Growing gradually

Growing fast — might need to incorporate or hire soon

Major changes — incorporating, taking on partners, or restructuring

Have you ever had issues with HMRC?

No, clean record

A late filing penalty once, but nothing serious

Yes — penalties, enquiries, or compliance issues

Currently dealing with an HMRC investigation or dispute

↻ Take the quiz again

Landolio helps UK freelancers and small businesses get paid and stay compliant. Home · Blog · Free tools