A real accountant in the UK is registered with one of four bodies: ICAEW, ACCA, AAT or CIOT. They charge a fixed fee (£150–400 for SA) — never a percentage of your refund. They never ask for your Government Gateway password — they connect through their own Agent Services Account. If an accountant found you through a WhatsApp group and charges a percentage, that is a sign of a scammer.
4 official registers, real prices for 2026/27, and 5 red flags you can spot in a minute. If an accountant is on a register and charges a fixed price — that is a professional.
Most CIS workers and sole traders can manage on their own. You only need an accountant when things are really complicated.
One job, correct tax code, no side income. Check through your Personal Tax Account — nothing else needed.
One or two contractors, typical expenses (tools, PPE, travel), all statements available. SA103S takes 2–3 hours to fill in.
Uber, Deliveroo, cleaner, tutor — one source, expenses are clear. Save £150–300 on an accountant.
Renting out a property, mortgage interest, SA105 — complicated maths, many details (including Mortgage Interest Relief changes).
Double taxation treaties, remittance basis, SA106 — without a professional you risk overpaying or compliance problems.
Corporation Tax + PAYE + dividends + Companies House filing. DIY is almost impossible without specialist knowledge.
PA taper, pension contributions for optimisation — the cost of a mistake is higher than an accountant's fee.
If an accountant is not in any of the four, they are not a licensed accountant. The UK does not have a mandatory government licence, but professional bodies are the only real protection.
The largest professional body in the UK. All ACA-chartered accountants. Firms with the BAS logo offer a free first consultation.
A global organisation, strong in small business and sole traders. Search by location and specialisation.
Licensed Members are often cheaper than chartered accountants, while still fully qualified for CIS, sole traders and property income.
CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser) — specialises in tax. Needed for foreign income, non-residency, complex tax structures.
Prices vary by region, complexity and experience. London is more expensive. Regional accountants are closer to the lower end. All amounts exclude VAT unless stated otherwise.
An accountant with a fixed fee has no conflict of interest. They get the same amount regardless of your refund. An accountant who charges a percentage of your refund is a red flag. That is the structure of a refund agent, not an accountant.
"Accountants" from WhatsApp chats who are not on any register are either refund agents or scammers. Five questions will help you filter them out.
Check: find.icaew.com / accaglobal.com / aat.org.uk / tax.org.uk. If the name or firm is not found in any of them, it is an unlicensed practitioner.
HMRC clearly says: never share your Government Gateway password. A real accountant registers as an agent through Agent Services Account and gets access without your password.
Without analysing P60, CIS statements and expenses, nobody can know the exact amount. Promising a specific figure "on the hook" is a marketing trick used by agents.
A professional accountant provides an engagement letter (written contract) describing the services, responsibilities and fee. Working through WhatsApp without documents is a red flag.
Cash-only and verbal pricing make it impossible to protect yourself in a dispute. A real accountant issues an invoice and accepts bank transfer.
The correct answer is always: "Yes". An accountant works through Agent Services Account — they can see your data through the HMRC agent portal, but they do not need and should not have your login and password.
The accountant registers as an HMRC-authorized agent. You receive a 64-8 form (authorisation letter), sign it. The accountant gets read/write access to your SA through Agent Services Account — without your password.
The accountant asks for your Government Gateway email and password so they can "log in themselves". After that they have full control over your tax account. You cannot see what is happening. Refunds could be redirected to another account.
Personal Tax Account → "Manage your agents". Here you can see the full list of who has agent access to your account. If you see unwanted agents, revoke access using the "Remove" button.
In development: enter a name or company — automatic check across ICAEW, ACCA, AAT, CIOT registers at once. The page /en/taxes/check-accountant will appear in the next iteration.