Outsourcing is a practical, cost-effective way to get expert help on demand, especially when it comes to self-assessment work. By outsourcing to professionals, accountants can meet deadlines with confidence and avoid the stress that comes with delivering work to meet HMRC’s deadlines. Outsourcing can also help build capacity, improve customer experience and maximise profitability.
Here’s how you can use outsourcing to handle self-assessment work in the lead up to 31 January.
Plan ahead
Many accountants already outsource recurring work such as bookkeeping, year-end accounts preparation or the completion of quarterly VAT returns. Systems and processes are well established, and accountants are comfortable with the quality and timeliness of work produced by the offshore team. Outsourcing self-assessment work where a clients’ tax position is straightforward (such as director salary and dividends from a personal company) frees up capacity to spend more time with clients.
Using an outsource supplier also offers flexibility to increase or reduce resources quickly and in line with demand. There is no need to recruit an onshore resource and the risks of making the wrong appointment are avoided.
Improve customer experience
Accountants outsourcing self-assessment tax work find they have more time to spend with their clients discussing their personal tax situation and engaging them in the process, with less time spent on administrative tasks such as sending reminders or obtaining information.
Offshore accountants and tax specialists are trained to know exactly what’s required and when. That means fewer errors, faster turnaround, and peace of mind when deadlines are looming.
Use outsourcing to support dynamic pricing
At Initor Global our prices are fixed based on the complexity of return, with ‘simple’ returns covering director salary and dividends through to the most ‘complex’ returns requiring capital gains, crypto currency, or foreign income calculations. The price remains fixed throughout each tax season, allowing accountants to secure additional margins from dynamic pricing as deadlines approach. The onshore team can spend more time with the most complex clients, understanding their needs in detail and offering additional services such as bookkeeping or specialist tax advice.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
With the introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) from April 2026, the submission of data each quarter to HMRC offers a good opportunity to start outsourcing recurring work which carries a significant risk of a deadline being missed. Outsourcing work also creates capacity for accountants to look carefully at their customers and identify those most a risk of non-compliance with HMRC requirements when MTD IT is introduced.
Tips for Successful Outsourcing
To make the most of outsourcing, accountants should:
- Start early: Don’t wait until January 2026 to start the offshoring process for 2025 returns
- Choose qualified professionals: Look for offshore accountants with experience of personal tax and high-volume self-assessment work
- Keep data secure: Use cloud-based tax software or and secure data transfer
- Communicate clearly: Agree contract terms reflecting exactly what you need and when.
Free trial offer
Initor Global’s outsourced tax, accounting and payroll services are suitable for all client engagements. We offer a free trial to complete two self-assessment tax returns. We promise to turn your trial work around within 72 hours.
If you are an accountant looking to outsource self-assessment work for the first time, you can book a video call with one of Initor Global’s expert advisors using this link or send an email to [email protected].
You can also check out our MTD IT hub which has information about our fixed price services.
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