UK PRACTICES / TAX RETURN PREPARATION FOR PRACTICES
Outsourced Tax Return Preparation for UK Practices and Tax Agents
Add preparation capacity for the Self Assessment season without changing who your clients deal with. TaxSpex prepares tax returns and supporting schedules from the records your practice provides, delivered from Pakistan and returned to your team for review. Your practice reviews each return, obtains your client's approval and submits it to HMRC as the client's authorised agent. Under this service, TaxSpex prepares the return; it does not submit it.
What TaxSpex can prepare
Returns are allocated individually or in agreed batches. The work can include:
- Self Assessment returns for your practice's clients, prepared for your review
- Income and expense schedules based on the records you provide
- A summary of the tax calculation for each return
- A schedule of queries and missing information for your team to resolve with the client
Property income, overseas income and capital gains are discussed before returns are allocated, so we can confirm whether they are within scope. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax work is confirmed separately before engagement.
Who submits to HMRC
Your practice does. TaxSpex prepares the return and supporting schedules and sends them back to your team. Your practice reviews the return, obtains your client's approval and submits it to HMRC as the client's authorised agent. TaxSpex does not submit returns to HMRC under this service.
HMRC requires a registered agent to get authorisation from the client before transacting on their behalf, and its guidance says agents should not use a client's HMRC sign-in details. Client authorisation and your agent access stay with your practice.
TaxSpex does not ask for HMRC or Government Gateway sign-in details, agent credentials or authentication codes, and your practice should not share them with us.
The 31 January 2027 peak
For the 2025 to 2026 tax year, online Self Assessment returns and any tax owed are due by 11:59pm on 31 January 2027. Where a client wants tax owed collected through their tax code, the online return must be submitted by 30 December 2026, subject to HMRC's conditions. A late return means an initial £100 penalty, with further penalties the longer it is late.
Your review and your client's approval take time as well, so agree batches early. Tell us how many returns you want to allocate, when the records will be ready and when your reviewers need drafts back. The timetable for each batch is agreed with your practice before work starts, and it depends on records arriving complete and queries being answered.
What your practice keeps
Preparation support does not transfer your professional obligations. Your firm keeps the client relationship and the decisions that go with it.
- The client relationship and your engagement letter with the client
- Client authorisation with HMRC and your agent access
- Final review of each return
- Your client's approval of the return
- Submission to HMRC and correspondence with HMRC
Working in your systems and templates
Tell us which tax software your practice uses, the return checklists your reviewers work to and how you want drafts and queries returned. If the work needs to be done in your software, tell us at the outset so we can confirm whether and how that is possible.
No access to client systems is assumed. Software access, permitted users, review standards and escalation routes are agreed in the contract, and the contracting entities, staff locations, confidentiality, processor terms and any required international transfer safeguards are agreed before client data is shared.
Who this service is for
This page is for UK accountancy practices and tax agents that need extra preparation capacity for personal tax returns, especially in the run-up to 31 January. It may suit a firm with a large Self Assessment client list, a backlog of returns or limited reviewer time to spend on preparation. If you need help with your own return, see our Self Assessment service for taxpayers instead.
How the work proceeds
Last reviewed: 5 November 2026
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Your practice. After reviewing the return and obtaining your client's approval, your practice submits it to HMRC as the client's authorised agent. Under this service, TaxSpex prepares the return and does not submit it.
No. Do not share HMRC or Government Gateway sign-in details, agent credentials or authentication codes with TaxSpex. Client authorisation and agent access stay with your practice.
The agreed work can include Self Assessment returns with income and expense schedules and a calculation summary. Corporation Tax computations and CT600 drafts are covered on our accounts preparation page. Property income, overseas income and capital gains are discussed before allocation so scope can be confirmed.
As early as you can. Online returns for the 2025 to 2026 tax year are due by 31 January 2027, and your practice needs time for review and client approval before submitting. We agree the timetable for each batch with you before work begins.
The work is delivered from Pakistan, under delivery arrangements agreed with your practice before client data is shared. Fees depend on the number and complexity of returns and are quoted in GBP for your engagement.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Discuss tax return preparation support
Tell us how many returns you want to allocate, the income types involved and when your reviewers need drafts back. We will agree the work allocated, delivery arrangements, review process and fees before any client data is shared.
Discuss tax return preparation support