Data last verified: 4 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
On 4 November 2026, 31 of 55 accountancy firms on the first page of Google for "accountant for sole traders" in eight UK cities mentioned Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, but only 4 published a price for it.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/accountants/research/accountants-mtd-income-tax-prices, 2026-11-04. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 4, 2026
On 4 November 2026, 31 of 55 accountancy firms on the first page of Google for “accountant for sole traders” in eight UK cities mentioned Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, but only 4 published a price for it.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax started in April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. It falls to £30,000 from April 2027. That brings a new group of people who need quarterly updates sent to HMRC. We checked whether accountants are selling that help with a clear price.
Key findings
- 31 of 55 firms mentioned Making Tax Digital for Income Tax somewhere on their site. 4 more mentioned only Making Tax Digital for VAT.
- 17 of 55 had a page or package for it.
- 4 of 55 published a price for it, from £15 to £35 a month. Three of the four were online-only firms.
- Of 40 local practices, 19 mentioned it, 8 had a page for it and 1 published a price.
- 13 of 55 published any price for sole trader accounts or a tax return.
- 27 stated the thresholds correctly, 27 did not state them and 1 gave wrong information about when it starts.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, by type of firm
| Type of firm | Firms | Mentioned it | Page or package | Published a price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local practice | 40 | 19 | 8 | 1 |
| Regional or national firm | 9 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Online-only firm | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 55 | 31 | 17 | 4 |
What this means if you run an accountancy practice
The sole traders moving into Making Tax Digital next April are searching now. Online firms are the ones showing a monthly price. Most local practices are not.
A simple fixed monthly package, with the software included and the price on the page, is easy to buy. Contact clients near the £30,000 line before April 2027 and offer it to them first.
How we did it
- Sample: the organic results on the first page of Google UK for “accountant for sole traders” plus the city name, in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast and Norwich, read on 4 November 2026. Directories (such as Unbiased, Yell, AccountantsUp and the FreeAgent finder) were removed. Firms that appeared in two cities were counted once. That left 55 firms.
- Checks: each firm’s own website, including service, pricing and news pages. A price counted only if it was a £ figure for a Making Tax Digital for Income Tax service, or a package that says it includes the quarterly updates. Every price was re-read in a browser on the same day.
- Limits: page one of Google is not every accountant in a city. Some firms quote by phone. A “no” means not found on the pages we checked.
Download the data: whito-accountants-mtd-income-tax-2026-11-04.csv (55 rows, no firm names).
Cite this research
Whito (2026). Are accountants selling Making Tax Digital for Income Tax? Checked 4 November 2026. https://whito.co.uk/accountants/research/accountants-mtd-income-tax-prices/
Common questions
How much do accountants charge for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
Few say online. On 4 November 2026, 4 of 55 firms in our check published a price, from £15 to £35 a month.
When does Making Tax Digital for Income Tax start for me?
It started in April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. From April 2027 the threshold falls to £30,000.
Do I need an accountant for Making Tax Digital?
No, you can use HMRC-recognised software yourself. Many people still pay an accountant to send the quarterly updates and the final return.
If your business is named here and you think we have a fact wrong, email hello@whito.co.uk and we will check it and correct it. If you want to respond, send us a statement and we will publish it alongside. Full detail: Corrections, right of reply and removals.
