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Contractor Tax Accountants

Contractor guides

IR35 and contractor tax, explained.

Practical guides on IR35 status, off-payroll rules, limited company tax, expenses, dividends and pension planning. Written by specialist contractor accountants.

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IR35 Status

16 articles

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Contractor Accounting Basics

7 articles

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Umbrella vs Limited Company

6 articles

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Limited Company Tax

6 articles

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Expenses and Deductions

5 articles

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Pension and Dividends

5 articles

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MTD and Compliance

5 articles

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All articles

  • Umbrella vs Limited Company

    How to Choose a Compliant Umbrella Company in the UK

    Thousands of UK contractors use umbrella companies each year, and after the Finance Act 2026 reforms the compliance stakes are higher than ever for workers, agencies and end clients alike. This guide sets out the compliance-led framework for choosing an umbrella: what accreditation means, how to read your Key Information Document, why a 90%-plus take-home promise is a hard warning sign, and how the April 2026 joint and several liability change reshapes agency PSLs.

    12 min read

  • IR35 Status

    How to Challenge an Inside IR35 Determination

    Receiving an inside IR35 Status Determination Statement does not mean the matter is closed. Under ITEPA 2003 s.61T, every contractor has a formal right to challenge the determination through the client-led disagreement process. This guide covers the evidence to gather, how to write a compelling representation, what the 45-day process involves, and why blanket determinations are a strong attack line.

    12 min read

  • Limited Company Tax

    Closing Your Contractor Limited Company: MVL and Strike-Off

    Two legal routes exist for closing a solvent contractor company: voluntary strike-off (low-cost, capped at £25,000) and a Members' Voluntary Liquidation (MVL, suited to larger reserves and capital treatment). The right choice turns on reserve size, future contracting plans, and the TAAR's two-year same-trade trap, which can flip what looks like a capital gain into an income distribution.

    12 min read

  • Contractor Accounting Basics

    What Does a Contractor Accountant Cost? UK Fees Explained

    Contractor accountant fees in the UK public market typically run from around £60 to £150 a month, though the range is wide and the number alone tells you little. This guide explains what drives the price, what you should expect for your money, and why the cheapest option often costs more in the end.

    12 min read

  • Limited Company Tax

    Day Rate to Take-Home: How to Work Out What You Actually Keep

    Your headline day rate and your annual take-home are separated by tax, National Insurance, operating costs and, above all, the number of days you actually bill. This guide walks through billable-days realism and the three main contracting routes (outside-IR35 PSC, inside-IR35 and umbrella) so you can build an honest picture of what a day rate is worth.

    14 min read

  • Expenses and Deductions

    Contractor Expenses: What You Can and Cannot Claim

    Contractor expenses are one of the most misunderstood areas of PSC tax, and the most costly when claimed incorrectly. This guide covers the four rules that determine whether a cost is genuinely deductible, the 24-month workplace trap that catches contractors every year, and why pensions outperform most day-to-day expenses as a tax lever.

    17 min read

  • Pension and Dividends

    Pension Carry Forward for Contractors - The Three-Year Rule and High-Profit Planning

    The annual allowance for pension contributions is £60,000 in 2026/27, and unused allowance carries forward from the previous three years. This rule turns the employer pension contribution into a strategic tool for contractors in high-profit years or those planning an exit, letting them make a contribution that would otherwise breach a single year's allowance without triggering a charge.

    14 min read

  • Pension and Dividends

    Contractor Pensions: Using Your PSC to Build Retirement Savings

    An employer pension contribution from your company is the single largest tax-efficient extraction route open to a PSC director in 2026/27, beating salary and dividends comfortably. This guide explains the £60,000 annual allowance, the taper for high earners, three-year carry-forward, the money purchase annual allowance trap and why the employer route beats a personal contribution.

    15 min read

  • Pension and Dividends

    SIPPs and Pension Schemes for Contractors: Choosing the Right One

    Once you know an employer pension contribution is your biggest tax-efficient lever as a PSC director, the next question is which scheme to put it into. This guide explains the three main pension types available to contractors, why SIPPs are a common choice for limited company directors, what factors to weigh when comparing providers, and where the boundary sits between accounting advice and regulated financial advice.

    13 min read

  • Pension and Dividends

    Contractor Pension Tax Relief: How PSC Contributions Cut Your Tax

    An employer pension contribution from your personal service company is the most tax-efficient extraction route available to a PSC director. It reduces corporation tax, carries no National Insurance on either side, and is not taxed as income when it enters the pension. This page explains the mechanics, the CT saving arithmetic, and why the employer route beats the personal contribution route for most contractors.

    12 min read

  • MTD and Compliance

    Contractor Self Assessment: Deadlines, Payments and What to Include

    Almost every PSC director must file a Self Assessment tax return, even when PAYE has already been deducted from their salary. This guide covers exactly who must file, what income belongs on the return, the key deadlines and the payments-on-account system, and the most common mistakes limited-company contractors make.

    13 min read

  • Limited Company Tax

    Contractor Tax Planning: How to Reduce Your Bill Legally

    Real contractor tax planning is a short list of legitimate levers used in the right order: how you take money out, the pension contribution that beats them all, the expenses you actually qualify for, the timing of declarations, and a clean exit. This guide sets out each lever at 2026/27 rates and draws a hard line under the avoidance schemes that look tempting and end badly.

    15 min read