First Time Using an Accountant? What to Say, What Documents You Need and What Happens Next

Britvex Advisory · UK Tax Made Simple

UK TAX MADE SIMPLE · PART 1 · BRITVEX.COM
Reviewed: 12 November 2026 · Audience: first-time UK taxpayers, sole traders, employees, landlords and new company directors.

First time speaking to an accountant? You do not need to know the tax rules or arrive with perfectly organised accounts. Start by explaining what you do, how you earn money, whether HMRC has written to you, and what deadline or problem worries you. The accountant can then tell you which documents matter, whether you need Self Assessment or company accounts, what the work will cost and how the filing process operates. For a clearly scoped proposal, use Britvex’s Get a Quote form; existing clients can use the secure client portal.

Quick answer: If you only have a straightforward employed job taxed through PAYE, you may not need a tax return or an accountant. If you have self-employment, rental income, untaxed income, overseas income, capital gains, a limited company or an HMRC letter, the answer can be different. Check HMRC’s official return checker and seek help for any uncertainty.

Before you contact an accountant: identify your actual question

The most useful first conversation is not “Can you do my taxes?” but “I work full-time and did freelance jobs,” “I rent out a flat,” “I started a company,” or “HMRC says I must send a return and I do not know why.” These descriptions tell an accountant which legal person is involved, which tax year matters and what type of filing may be required. An accountant should not assume you need a particular service just because you mention a UTR or National Insurance number.

For instance, a PAYE employee receiving only wages may already have tax handled through payroll. A person who earns additional self-employment income may need to register for Self Assessment. A landlord may need to report rental income. A limited-company director can have both company reporting duties and personal tax questions; neither necessarily replaces the other. For the detailed personal filing route, see Self Assessment services on Britvex.com and the complementary Britvex.co.uk Self Assessment service.

Your first task is to describe your circumstances, not to decide the tax treatment yourself. If you are nervous, write down the following five facts: what work or income you have; when it started; which HMRC letters or deadlines you have; what you have filed already; and what outcome you want. That is enough to begin an enquiry.

A simple message you can send to an accountant

Hello Britvex, this is my first time using an accountant. I am [employed / self-employed / a landlord / a company director]. I have income from [brief description], and I need help checking whether I must file a tax return or accounts. I have [or do not have] a UTR and National Insurance number. My main concern is [deadline, HMRC letter, missed expenses or getting started]. Could you tell me what information you need and provide a quote for the work?

Do not paste your full National Insurance number, UTR, passport scan or Government Gateway credentials into an open public message. A brief description should be sufficient for a first enquiry. Britvex’s Get a Quote form lets you choose Self Assessment, sole-trader accounts, bookkeeping, landlord income, company accounts or another service. You can also contact info@britvex.co.uk or call +44 20 3758 7500.

What an accountant actually does for an ordinary person

An accountant does more than type figures into HMRC’s website. Within the agreed engagement, they may assess whether a filing is required, request evidence, organise income and expenses, reconcile available records, identify the right supplementary tax-return sections, explain reliefs, prepare calculations, obtain your approval and submit a return if authorised. Depending on the work, they may help correct previous returns, explain a bill or make the recordkeeping process more reliable.

A tax adviser can also explain when not to file unnecessarily. HMRC offers free online tools, and many people can handle straightforward tax affairs directly. For a first-time taxpayer, professional help is valuable when several income sources overlap, the return is late, records are incomplete, rental property is involved or another reporting obligation has arisen. HMRC’s guidance on choosing a tax agent recommends comparing experience, fees, services and engagement terms rather than assuming every agent is the same.

What accountants cannot responsibly promise

A reputable adviser should not promise a guaranteed refund or a fixed tax saving before examining your records. Nor should they encourage you to invent expenses, share your HMRC password or sign a blank return. You remain responsible for ensuring the information supplied is accurate even when an accountant submits it. HMRC explicitly says clients should review returns and authorise the agent properly. See HMRC’s agent-authorisation guidance.

Your first accountant appointment: a practical 20-minute agenda

1. Explain your work and income. Give a short description: employed, gig work, online sales, freelance work, rental property, dividends, pensions or company activities.
2. Identify the period. UK personal tax years generally run from 6 April to the following 5 April. Say which year your question concerns.
3. Identify existing HMRC records. Mention whether you have a National Insurance number, personal UTR, a notice to file or previous returns. You do not need every reference in your opening message.
4. Check for outstanding deadlines. Mention any HMRC letter, reminder, penalty, return date or unpaid tax balance immediately.
5. Agree exactly what is included. Ask whether the quote covers registration, bookkeeping, return preparation, corrections, filing, HMRC enquiries and after-filing support.
6. Agree how to share documents. Prefer a controlled upload route such as the Britvex client portal once access is established.

This agenda makes the first meeting productive even if you have no tax background. If your records come from a self-employed business, ongoing bookkeeping services may be more useful than reconstructing everything once a year. If you already use another adviser, review switching accountants rather than assuming you must begin again from zero.

Documents to prepare: the checklist for your situation

There is no universal bundle that every client must submit. HMRC’s Self Assessment preparation guide lists records that can be relevant, including NI details, employment records, untaxed income, business expenses, pensions and capital gains. The table below is a starting point; an accountant should ask only for documents appropriate to your case.

If you are a first-time client without a UTR or previous return, say so clearly. Not having a UTR is not a reason to delay your enquiry. The accountant can explain registration and authorisation, while HMRC remains responsible for issuing tax references. For specific filing support, see personal tax return preparation or Britvex.com’s Self Assessment team.

Documents that should be kept separate

A UTR is not a password; neither is a National Insurance number. But both are sensitive identifiers. Bank statements and identity documents are also confidential. Keep each file named for the relevant tax year and source—for example, employment-P60-2025-26.pdf or rental-income-summary-2025-26.xlsx—without putting personal identifiers into filenames. Send them only through an agreed secure channel, such as the portal, and retain a copy for your records.

UTR, NI number, Government Gateway and Companies House number: do not confuse them

These identifiers serve different purposes. Your National Insurance number is a lifelong personal reference for tax and National Insurance records; your personal Unique Taxpayer Reference is a 10-digit HMRC Self Assessment reference when you have one. A company has its own separate tax references. A Government Gateway or GOV.UK sign-in is how you authenticate online, not a replacement for a UTR. A Companies House company number identifies the company on the register, rather than your personal tax record.

If you cannot find either personal number, use GOV.UK’s UTR finder and National Insurance number finder. For a more detailed explanation, the companion article on UTR versus National Insurance at Britvex.co.uk will compare the two and show first-time registration steps once that article is published. Check the companion article link after publishing it.

Do you actually need to submit Self Assessment?

Not everyone needs Self Assessment. HMRC generally requires it when, for example, a sole trader has gross trading income above the £1,000 trading allowance threshold, someone is in a business partnership or there is certain reportable untaxed income or gains. Other cases include specific Child Benefit, overseas income and tax-relief circumstances. Being employed, possessing an NI number or being a company director alone does not automatically create an obligation. Use the HMRC Self Assessment checker and confirm any notice to file.

A practical example: someone earns £28,000 through PAYE and has no other income. They may not need a return. Another person has the same salary plus £7,000 of freelance turnover; they should investigate Self Assessment because payroll does not automatically report that freelance activity. A director paid solely through PAYE with no other reporting reason may also not need a personal return just because they hold the title. The details and tax year matter.

For readers needing the full rules, Britvex already has a general Self Assessment tax-return guide. This article deliberately focuses on how to begin a relationship with an accountant, not reprinting that general guide.

How the annual tax year and tax-return timetable work

For personal tax, 6 April begins a new tax year and 5 April ends it. Once a tax year has ended, you gather and review income and relevant records for that year. New Self Assessment registrants generally notify HMRC by 5 October following the tax year where the rule applies. Ordinary paper returns are generally due by 31 October, online returns by 31 January, and the main tax balance is also usually due by 31 January. Special cases, later-issued notices and different tax services can change the applicable deadline, so do not treat these as universal dates.

For example, the 2025–26 tax year ended on 5 April 2026, with the normal online Self Assessment filing and payment deadline of 31 January 2027. HMRC confirms the current cycle at Self Assessment deadlines. Date examples appear here, not in the permanent title or URL, so the page stays suitable for future updates.

Why you can file earlier than January

You do not have to wait until January to submit a tax return. Filing after the tax year ends can help you discover a tax bill earlier and avoid rushed document requests. It generally does not accelerate the standard payment deadline. The value is in giving yourself time to budget and ask questions. If you want monthly help with receipts and records, see Britvex bookkeeping and cloud accounting.

Understanding your first unexpected bill

The first return can be surprising because of payments on account. Suppose your Self Assessment calculation shows £3,000 of tax and Class 4 National Insurance relevant to payments on account, with no previous payments made. You might owe the £3,000 balancing amount plus a £1,500 first payment on account for the following year on 31 January: £4,500 in total, with another £1,500 normally due on 31 July. This is illustrative; payments on account have exceptions, thresholds and exclusions. See HMRC’s payments-on-account explanation. Ask your accountant for a cash-flow schedule, not just the final tax-return figure.

Personal tax return versus limited-company annual accounts

A Self Assessment tax return normally reports an individual’s relevant income and gains. A limited company has its own separate obligations, including annual statutory accounts at Companies House and Corporation Tax reporting to HMRC where required. The company and individual are not the same taxpayer. An accountant may prepare both, but one filing does not automatically satisfy the other.

Do not mix your company’s sales with your personal salary or dividends. If you have just incorporated a business, the company formation route and accountancy service hub explain how the different obligations connect.

How accountants set fees: ask for scope, not just a headline price

The cost depends on the completeness of records, income sources, complexity, deadlines and whether past periods need correction. A simple employed-person return, a sole trader with tidy monthly records, a landlord with several properties and a director with international income are not necessarily comparable engagements. Ask whether the quote covers registration, software, bookkeeping, draft review, calculations, filing, tax-payment explanations and HMRC follow-up. Ask when additional work becomes chargeable.

A fixed-price quote can be helpful when the scope is clearly defined, but it should state what information the client must provide. Britvex’s Get a Quote form accepts separate categories for Self Assessment, sole-trader accounts, landlord income, bookkeeping, company accounts and tax advice. Choose the closest one and describe the situation. If you are unsure, select the appropriate general option and let the team assess it.

What happens after you agree to proceed?

1. Client onboarding and identity checks

The accountant confirms who the client is, agrees service terms and requests any appropriate identification or information. The precise checks depend on the engagement and anti-money-laundering requirements. Being a Companies House ACSP and being an HMRC tax agent are different roles; not every personal-tax enquiry requires Companies House director identity verification.

2. HMRC agent authorisation

Where the accountant needs to act for you, the appropriate HMRC authorisation route is used, which can differ by tax. An authorised agent can interact with HMRC in the agreed scope. Never provide your HMRC password or sign-in codes. See HMRC’s current authorisation guidance and the digital handshake rules.

3. Records and questions

You upload information and answer focused questions. A professional may notice missing items, ask about income not shown on bank statements, request ownership details for rental income, or distinguish capital purchases from ordinary expenses. Incomplete information can delay filing; it is better to say “I do not know” than guess.

4. Draft and tax calculation

The accountant prepares the return or accounts and explains adjustments, allowances and estimated payments. You review the draft and confirm factual accuracy before approval. If the answer involves a company, the annual accounts service and Corporation Tax support may be relevant too.

5. Submission and proof

After approval, the return is submitted through the applicable channel. Keep a copy of the return, calculation, submission acknowledgement, and any HMRC reference or payment instructions. Ask how future deadlines will be tracked. Once set up, the Britvex client portal can support document sharing and ongoing communication; portal support is available if access is difficult.

Six common mistakes people make when approaching an accountant

Waiting until all records are perfect. An early enquiry allows the adviser to tell you what is missing. Waiting until the filing deadline can make the job more urgent and costly.

Assuming an NI number is a UTR. They are not interchangeable, and a company may have separate references. Check the official finders before writing sensitive numbers in messages.

Assuming PAYE means no other tax. A job can coexist with rental, freelance, dividend or overseas income that needs separate checking.

Confusing turnover with profit. A freelancer’s gross sales are not the same thing as taxable business profit. Record both income and supportable expenses rather than reporting only the cash left in the bank.

Giving passwords to the adviser. Follow authorisation instead. A reputable accountant does not need your login credentials.

Not reviewing the final return. HMRC says the taxpayer remains responsible. Ask questions before approving any figures or claims you do not recognise.

If you already filed and notice an error, a different guide explains how to amend a Self Assessment return after filing, rather than treating a correction as part of the initial enquiry.

Useful first-step pathways for different readers

• I have never filed a tax return. Start with the first-time Self Assessment service, check whether you need a return and then request a quote.
• I run a small side business. Start with your sales and expenses; explore bookkeeping and whether Making Tax Digital applies.
• I rent out a property. Organise rent and costs; use the landlord-tax service and your personal tax route.
• I have a limited company. Separate your personal return from statutory annual accounts and Corporation Tax.
• I have an overseas tax question. Explain residence, UK income and other countries involved; see non-resident UK tax support.
• I want to move from another accountant. Start with switching accountants and agree a professional handover.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I contact an accountant if I have no UTR?

Yes. Explain that you are not registered or cannot find your reference. An accountant can assess the issue and explain the HMRC route. A UTR is assigned by HMRC when the relevant registration exists; it is not a prerequisite for sending an initial enquiry.

2. Is a National Insurance number enough to file Self Assessment?

Not always. NI identifies your personal tax and contribution record, while an individual Self Assessment UTR identifies the relevant tax-return record. If you need to register or reactivate Self Assessment, check HMRC’s process rather than substituting one reference for another.

3. Do I need an accountant if I only have a salaried job?

Usually not solely because you have a PAYE job. Your employer normally deducts PAYE tax through payroll. Separate income, tax charges, a notice to file or a specific claim may change the answer. Check your position with HMRC’s tool.

4. What should I say in my first email to an accountant?

Describe your employment or business, the types of income involved, any HMRC letters, the tax year and the help you want. Ask what documents and fees apply. Do not attach sensitive identity references or passwords in an unprotected first message.

5. What documents should an accountant ask a sole trader for?

Usually income records, invoices, expenses, business bank transactions, mileage evidence where applicable, and details of any other income. The exact documents depend on the business, accounting method and claims. Keep original evidence rather than offering unsubstantiated totals.

6. What if I have lost receipts or old records?

Tell the accountant immediately. Try to obtain duplicate invoices and bank statements. HMRC allows certain provisional or estimated figures where genuinely necessary, but they must be identified appropriately and may require later correction. Do not invent expenses.

7. Can an accountant speak to HMRC for me?

Yes, after the appropriate formal authorisation and within the agreed scope. Procedures vary by tax service. Do not share Government Gateway passwords or security codes.

8. Can my accountant file without showing me the tax return?

You should review and approve the information before submission. HMRC states that clients remain legally responsible for their tax affairs even when an agent is used. Ask for a copy of the draft and an explanation of any unfamiliar figures.

9. Is Self Assessment the same as annual company accounts?

No. Self Assessment normally belongs to an individual, while statutory company accounts and Corporation Tax reporting belong to the company. A director may have one, both or different obligations depending on the circumstances.

10. What happens if I contact an accountant after the deadline?

Contact them immediately and share the relevant HMRC notice and dates. The response may involve overdue registration, a late return, payment planning, an appeal or correction. An accountant cannot erase a legal deadline, but can help establish the correct next action.

11. Does using an accountant guarantee a refund or lower tax bill?

No. A professional can review eligible allowances, calculations and filing accuracy, but refunds depend on facts and law. Avoid anyone promising a refund before reviewing your income, payments and records.

12. Can Britvex help me remotely if I do not live near an office?

Britvex provides remote UK accountancy and tax assistance where the engagement fits its services. New clients can request a quote and existing clients can securely exchange documents through the online portal. Overseas clients with UK obligations should describe their residence and UK income in the enquiry.

Start with one question — Britvex will help identify the correct service

If you are unsure whether you need a UTR, Self Assessment, bookkeeping, annual company accounts or another filing, do not guess which paid service to buy. Tell Britvex what happened and what you are worried about. Use Get a Quote for the first assessment of scope, explore Britvex UK tax services and accountancy services, or return to the client portal if you are already onboarded. For the detailed reference-number guide, read the companion UTR vs National Insurance explanation after it is published.

Britvex Advisory Ltd — Accountancy · Tax · Advisory · Compliance. New enquiries: info@britvex.co.uk · +44 20 3758 7500 · WhatsApp +44 7757 698777. Britvex is a Companies House Approved ACSP and HMRC AML-supervised practice; engagement and tax-agent authorisation are handled in the appropriate service context.

This is general UK guidance, not a personal tax determination. HMRC requirements depend on your circumstances and the applicable tax year. UK tax guidance checked against GOV.UK on 11 November 2026.