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Use outsourcing to price MTD for Income Tax services effectively

The implementation of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) from April 2026 is changing the way accountants deliver services to affected businesses. Sole Traders and Landlords with income above £50,000 can no longer rely on the annual self-assessment tax return service and once a year contact with an accountant to meet HMRC’s requirements.

To support clients, accountants now need to offer a range of MTD IT specific services, including digital record keeping, quarterly submission of MTD information to HMRC, a final MTD submission with the self-assessment tax return and tax calculation due by 31 January. However, the discussions with clients around changes to services and fees can be stressful and time consuming. Some accountants may decide to continue with engagements where they make no margin at all rather than have the difficult conversation about increasing fees or disengagement.

What makes pricing MTD IT services so challenging?

MTD IT requires accountants to support clients who previously did not need recurring accounting services, ongoing contact, or software to manage their businesses. Work is now spread across the tax year with peaks of work expected when a quarterly submission to HMRC is due.
When preparing clients for MTD IT, accountants should know which services each individual will need based on an assessment of their historic records and future needs. Some clients with a relatively low number of monthly transactions will be comfortable maintaining their own records and updating HMRC compatible software. Others prefer the accountant to complete all bookkeeping and HMRC submissions on their behalf. Regardless of the scope of work needed, accountants need to ensure they have appropriately qualified and skilled people available to deliver.
With such wide client needs and expectations, and the impact of a fast-changing MTD IT environment, it is little wonder accountants struggle to price services effectively.

Which MTD IT pricing models are available?

Some accountants will look to price services based on existing services such as bookkeeping or personal tax work. They remain committed to a timesheet-based approach and provide an estimate of the cost of a service and bill the amount based on hours recorded at the end of the assignment. The fee per hour is based on the skills and qualifications of accountants and other professionals based on a fixed schedule of rates.
While this may be a comfortable approach and means that accountants do not need to develop MTD IT specific services, it does present some risks. For instance, a client may challenge the number of hours to complete an assignment and there is a time lag between incurring the cost of delivering the service and billing. Clients who have never used services such as bookkeeping or quarterly submission of information to HMRC may struggle to see any value in the additional services needed.
There is also a risk services are not clearly defined, and accountants cannot judge the profitability or otherwise of their MTD IT clients.
A more realistic approach for accountants is to develop a suite of MTD IT services to support clients and recommend the most suitable option.
Tasks such as digital bookkeeping, quarterly MTD IT submissions, the preparation of year-end trading accounts and personal tax services can be outsourced easily to trusted providers. When structured correctly, outsourcing works as an extension of the onshore team – aligned to existing processes, software, systems, and quality standards.
Those accountants with a diverse client base will need to offer a range of services and adapt them as more individuals enter the MTD IT regime in 2027 and 2028.

Which Services Can Be Outsourced Under MTD IT?

Accountants usually seek to outsource recurring bookkeeping and accounting work, including:
Outsourcing offers a cost-effective way for accountants to support clients and price services while making the most effective use of any direct contact needed by the onshore team.

Key Benefits of Outsourcing MTD IT Tasks

Outsourcing MTD IT work to Unison Globus UK offers many benefits to UK accountants through:

  • Enabling transparent pricing of services completely aligned to client needs
  • Helping clients comply with HMRC requirements.
  • Reduced risk of penalties for late/missing submissions
  • Reduced costs and overheads
  • Access to talent and resources
  • Increased quality and consistency of work
  • Better turnaround times
  • Improved client experience
  • Data security assurance.

The Unison Globus fixed price outsourcing model for MTD for Income Tax

Unison Globus UK MTD IT services are completely flexible. You can use our MTD Lite, Premium or Full service based on the number of monthly bookkeeping transactions and scope of work your clients need.
Alternatively, accountants can engage accountants and bookkeepers directly on an ad-hoc (hourly) basis or use a dedicated individual to work remotely as part of the onshore team.

Fixed price MTD IT services

Our services are designed to meet the needs of accountants and their clients, whether this is monthly bookkeeping or a fully comprehensive service, as shown below.
Scope of serviceLitePremiumFull
Monthly data collection and bookkeeping – any softwarecheckcheckcheck
Update HMRC compatible software quarterlycrosscheckcheck
File summary information each quarter using HMRC compatible softwarecrosscheckcheck
Prepare summary annual accountscrosscrosscheck
File final declarationcrosscrosscheck
Prepare simple final self-assessment tax return to client approval stagecrosscrosscheck

MTD Lite service

  • Perfect for clients who only need bookkeeping services.
  • Update client records on any bookkeeping software, review eligible expenses, monthly bank reconciliation.

MTD Premium service

  • For clients needing monthly bookkeeping and quarterly HMRC submissions.
  • Includes everything in MTD Lite plus quarterly summaries of income and expenses and filing quarterly returns via client software.

MTD Full service

  • For clients needing a comprehensive MTD IT and self-assessment tax return service.
  • Includes everything in MTD Premium plus preparation of income and expenses accounts, filing final declarations, and preparing simple self-assessment tax returns.

Fixed Price Monthly Fees

Pricing is based on the number of monthly bookkeeping transactions. A separate engagement is required for each business a sole trader or landlord operates.
Monthly Transactions Lite per month Premium per month Full per month
Up to 25 £10 £15 £20
26 to 50 £15 £20 £25
51 to 75 £20 £25 £30
76 to 100 £25 £30 £35
100+ Speak with one of our expert advisors
Our fixed price model recognises the different needs and complexity of MTD IT clients:
  • Some clients are comfortable maintaining digital records and can self-serve.
  • Others prefer a cost-effective, outsourced solution covering monthly bookkeeping, quarterly HMRC submissions, and self-assessment tax returns.

Developed with feedback from accountants and their clients, our offshore model allows practices to increase efficiency and margins without impacting client service.

Our prices remain fixed throughout the terms of an engagement, enabling accountants to benefit from incremental pricing models or tiered pricing.

How do I find out more?

We have a dedicated page on our website about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, with turnaround in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource services for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients meet MTD IT responsibilities, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected]
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Simplify MTD for Income Tax Record-keeping through Outsourcing

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) is changing how self-employed individuals and landlords maintain their financial records. While the move to digital reporting aims to provide more accurate and timely information, many accountants are struggling to find resources to deliver the regular bookkeeping and accounting work needed to achieve this.
Outsourcing offers a practical way to complete digital record-keeping accurately and on time without stretching internal teams.

The Digital Record-Keeping Challenge

MTD IT requires affected taxpayers to:
  • Maintain digital records
  • Submit quarterly updates to HMRC
  • Use compatible software at all times.
For accountants looking to maintain records on clients’ behalf, this means:
  • Contacting clients throughout the tax year to ensure the accuracy and completeness of data
  • Supporting clients who are historically hard to reach
  • Absorbing the additional costs of maintaining records.
As the scope of MTD IT is widened in future years, accountants relying on in-house resources will struggle to maintain records effectively.

What Are Outsourced Record-Keeping Systems?

Outsourced record-keeping systems involve:
  • Collecting transactional data and supporting information each month using an offshore resource
  • An offshore resource maintaining cloud accounting software using secure logins on behalf of a client
  • Dedicated offshore bookkeepers and accountants to deliver MTD IT work
  • Standardised workflows aligned with MTD IT requirements – the offshore team can design these
  • Resolving any inconsistencies or missing data with clients.
Onshore accountants remain responsible for MTD compliance, review of work, and client relationships. The offshore accountant takes on the resource intensive tasks required by MTD IT.

How Outsourcing Simplifies MTD IT Record-Keeping

1. Consistent, MTD-Ready Information

Outsourced teams work to agreed turnround times and quality standards to ensure:
  • Transactions are correctly recorded on compatible, cloud-based software
  • Digital records are complete, accurate and fully reconciled
  • Quarterly submissions to HMRC are made on time and based on reliable data.
By offshoring record keeping tasks to a dedicated resource, the scope for errors is reduced and compliance is assured.

2. Less Pressure on Internal Teams

Rather than stretching existing staff to take on responsibilities to obtain data from clients and update records, outsourcing:
  • Frees up accountants to undertake work to support clients and generate additional fees
  • Eliminates the costs of recruitment and training 
  • Smooths workloads as quarterly deadlines approach.
When structured correctly, outsourcing works as an extension of the onshore team – aligned to existing processes, software, and quality standards without the risks of a permanent appointment.

3. Improved Client Experience

Many clients struggle with ongoing digital record-keeping. Outsourced systems:
  • Reduce the pressure on in-house teams to contact clients for missing data
  • Ensure digital records are maintained accurately and on time
  • Help clients stay compliant.
As accountants shift resources away from recurring tasks they have more time to focus on client relationships, tax advice, and business development.

4. Scalable Support as MTD Expands

From April 2028, any individual with self-employed or landlord income above £20,000 will need to meet MTD IT requirements. To meet the projected demand for record keeping services, accountants will need to:
  • Scale capacity quickly as client numbers grow
  • Support quarterly peaks of work
  • Update processes as HMRC requirements evolve.
Outsourcing offers a scalable, flexible solution that allows accountants to quickly increase capacity without the overheads and administrative burden of full-time or temporary appointments. Outsourcing work enables accountants to stay agile, efficient, and competitive throughout the year and has advantages over the maintenance of records in-house:
In-House Outsourced Advantage
High costs of employment for permanent staff Flexible, scalable support – pay for the resources needed
Ongoing training and supervision needs Pre-trained specialists focused on record keeping tasks
Internal capacity limits growth Access to a deep pool of resources to scale quickly
Cost of developing and maintaining systems Streamlined, standardised processes

Is Outsourcing Record-Keeping Right for Your Firm?

By working with a specialist outsourcing partner, accountants can:
  • Access resources immediately: Offshore accountants are proficient in commercial accounting software and are ready to start immediately
  • Avoid recruitment costs and HR management: The outsource provider handles contracts, salaries, and employee benefits
  • Leverage expertise: Offshore professionals are up to date on the detailed requirements of MTD IT and required records
  • Scale flexibly: Add capacity as demand grows without the risk of recruitment delays. Where demand falls, services can be scaled down without any exit costs.
Outsourced systems are particularly effective for accountants:
  • Supporting sole traders or landlord clients
  • Looking to scale and expand MTD IT services
  • Looking to protect margins while remaining competitive
  • Struggling to support clients with high volumes of transactions.

Unison Globus UK : Your Offshore Accounting Partner

Outsourcing MTD IT work to Unison Globus UK offers many benefits to UK accountants through:
  • Helping clients comply with HMRC requirements.
  • Reduced risk of penalties for late/missing submissions
  • Reduced costs and overheads
  • Access to talent and resources
  • Increased quality and consistency of work
  • Better turnaround times
  • Improved client experience
  • Data security assurance.

Free trial offer

If you want to learn more about how outsourcing can simplify MTD IT, explore our Making Tax Digital for Income Tax hub and book a free 10-hour trial with Unison Globus UK. We promise to turn your trial work around within 72 hours. You can book a video call with one of our expert advisors using this link or send an email to [email protected]
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Deliver MTD for Income Tax without Increasing Headcount: The Advantages of Outsourcing

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) is reshaping how UK accountants deliver services for their self-employed and landlord clients. With regular digital record-keeping, quarterly submissions to HMRC and increased client expectations, many accountants are facing increased demand for accounting services.
While any increase in demand is welcome, some accountants are struggling to find resources to deliver these services effectively.
This is where outsourcing work can offer a powerful strategic advantage.

Why MTD for Income Tax Is Creating Additional Pressure For Accountants

MTD IT is not just a simple compliance operation to be delivered by accountants. For affected landlords and self-employed clients, it introduces significant responsibilities for the first time, including:
  • Digital record-keeping
  • Quarterly submissions to HMRC 
  • Mandatory MTD-compatible software 
  • Higher volumes of data 
  • Greater uncertainty and support needs.
For many Practices, this means more work for bookkeepers and accountants, and investment in enhanced IT systems, workflows, and support functions. Hiring additional resources to cope with this additional work may seem logical, but it’s rarely the most efficient solution and can create additional risks.

Additional costs and risks of hiring resources

In a hot recruitment market and with increasing costs of employment, taking on new staff can create additional risks for any accountant. For smaller Practices without dedicated HR teams, managing recruitment, performance reviews, payroll, leave, and employee disputes can be a major drain on time.
Recruiting new staff is expensive and time-consuming. Specialist recruitment fees can reach up to 25% of a new employee’s salary, with onboarding costs adding further strain. The elapsed time between advertising a role and filling it with a suitable candidate can be protracted, creating backlogs of work before a post is filled. When appointed, new staff require onboarding and investment in continuing professional development. In-house employees also come with pensions, paid holidays, and other benefits that can exceed 20% of base salary.

As MTD IT client numbers grow, these factors can quickly affect the efficient operation of a Practice.

Outsourcing: A Smarter Way to Deliver MTD IT

Outsourcing allows accountants to deliver MTD IT services without the risk and expense of recruitment while securing many advantages.

1. Instant Access to MTD IT Expertise

Outsourcing provides specialists in bookkeeping and accounting who are fully trained and understand:
  • HMRC MTD IT requirements
  • How to operate MTD-compatible software and bridging tools
  • API integrations and digital record keeping
  • UK data security and compliance standards.
Outsourcing opens the door to expertise worldwide, bridging skills gaps quickly without long training periods. Accountants can leverage digital bookkeeping, personal tax calculations, and efficient accounts preparation while client-facing staff deliver personalised services.

2. Scalable Support

MTD IT work is recurring and predictable by nature. By outsourcing, accountants can:

  • Scale support up when deadlines are looming
  • Scale down during quieter periods
  • Pay only for the work required.
Outsourcing converts the rising costs of employment into predictable, fixed expenses, helping accountants plan cash flow with confidence.

3. Reduced Operational Costs

Compared to employing in-house staff, outsourcing typically offers:
  • Fixed monthly or pay as you go pricing
  • No recruitment fees or employment overheads
  • Clear budgeting and cost control.
Outsourcing provides access to highly skilled accountants at typically 50% lower costs than UK rates. This means accountants can improve productivity and service quality without inflating their payroll.

4. Better Client Experience

Some clients will remain resistant to their new MTD IT responsibilities and are hard to reach by nature. These clients will need additional support with:
  • Software setup and onboarding
  • Maintaining digital records
  • Correcting submission errors
  • Understanding quarterly reporting obligations.
Outsourced helpdesks and support teams ensure faster responses, smoother processes a better client experience overall.

5. Accountants Stay Focused on Advisory Work

When MTD IT workflows are handled externally, the onshore team can focus on:

  • Client advice
  • Tax planning
  • Business growth.

Outsourcing routine tasks such as bookkeeping and quarterly submissions allows in-house accountants to focus on supporting clients. This reduces stress, prevents burnout, and increases job satisfaction. Outsourcing also offers a cost-effective way for accountants to communicate with clients while making the best use of any direct, human contact needed.

MTD IT Services to Outsource

Accountants usually seek to outsource recurring bookkeeping and accounting work, including:

Benefits of Outsourcing MTD IT Work

Outsourcing MTD IT work to Unison Globus offers many benefits to UK accountants through:
  • Helping clients comply with HMRC requirements.
  • Reduced risk of penalties for late/missing submissions
  • Reduced costs and overheads
  • Access to talent and resources
  • Increased quality and consistency of work
  • Better turnaround times
  • improved client experience
  • Data security assurance.

Free trial offer

If you want to learn more about how outsourcing can simplify MTD IT, explore our Making Tax Digital for Income Tax hub and book a free 10-hour trial with Unison Globus UK. We promise to turn your trial work around within 72 hours. You can book a video call with a Unison Globus expert advisors using this link or send an email to [email protected].

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Get your Practice Ready for 2026 with a Strategic Outsourcing Solution

Accountants across the UK are working through the most challenging and transformative period of recent years. Between regulatory reform, client expectations, and ongoing recruitment challenges, accountants are reassessing how they operate. For many accountants, strategic outsourcing has become a critical tool for protecting margins, improving service delivery, and future-proofing their Practice.

2026: A Challenging Landscape for Accountants

A number of challenges are shaping the operational plans of accountants across the UK for 2026 and beyond.

Rising compliance burden

The implementation of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from April 2026 means many accountants need to introduce new ways of working for affected clients. The shift to digital record keeping requires additional resources to deliver systematic bookkeeping, accounting and tax services for clients who previously had no need for regular contact.
The UK audit landscape is also changing, with an increased focus on audit quality, underpinned by revisions to International Auditing Standards. Audit Firms must be even more vigilant about the assignments they take on and the expertise of auditors to deliver compliant work.
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) arrangements will also undergo significant changes in 2026, with updates to existing AML regulations and the UK Corporate Transparency Act requiring additional checks and record keeping.
With an increasing regulatory burden, accountants need suitably qualified resources, more efficient systems, and robust quality processes to navigate these changes.

Continuing talent shortages

For many UK accountants, the current recruitment market is both costly and time-consuming. Many firms cannot scale their teams fast enough to meet client demand, especially during peak periods such as year-end accounts preparation or personal tax season. With increased competition for skilled professionals, more accountants are turning to outsourcing as a strategic solution. By working with offshore partners, UK accountants can access experienced professionals without the overheads of a full-time appointment.

Increased price sensitivity among clients

Small and medium-sized businesses expect fixed fees, digital-first service, and faster turnaround times. Accountants unable to deliver efficiently risk losing clients or reduced profitability. Using an offshore accountant means prices can be fixed for the duration of a contract, allowing accountants to offer monthly subscription models and guaranteed service levels to clients. The onshore team can spend more time with the most complex clients, understanding client needs, building long-term relationships, and offering additional services.

Technology acceleration

AI-driven automation, cloud accounting, and workflow platforms are reshaping the way services are delivered. Accountants need time, capacity, and specialist support to adopt new technology effectively.
Systems and processes to complete work offshore are highly efficient with rapid turnaround times. The best outsource partner can prepare records and transfer data in real-time using cloud accounting software, increasing confidence in the accuracy of financial reporting. By outsourcing, accountants can access the latest technology for bookkeeping, financial reporting, and payroll without paying for licences, updates, or IT support.

Why Strategic Outsourcing Is Essential

Outsourcing has evolved significantly over the last decade. Accountants no longer confine outsourced work to recurring, transactional work and require a more collaborative, dynamic model. When implemented effectively, outsourcing delivers positive outcomes.

Reliable and scalable capacity

Scaling a practice up or down takes time when services are delivered by full-time staff. Investment in technologies such as AI, cloud accounting and automation of tasks means accountants can scale and grow without taking on the additional risk and costs of direct employment. Where a Practice is looking to downsize, contracts with an outsourced supplier can be terminated in a matter of weeks and in a structured way. There is no need to implement redundancy processes or statutory consultation with employees.
Accountants can also choose to access offshore capacity as and when they need it by using a pay as you go service. This maximises the flexibility to use an offshore option at peak periods or where a backlog of work needs to be cleared. This flexibility enables practices to grow without the long-term cost and risk of extra headcount.

Improved profitability

With the additional capacity outsourcing brings, accountants can focus on core business objectives, whether that involves increasing client numbers or offering a wider range of services to existing clients. Accountants find that outsourcing recurring tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll or accounts preparation frees up time to help clients and understand their business needs, offering scope to deliver high margin advisory services when clients need them most.

Quality and compliance

UK tax and accounting compliance can be complex and is constantly changing. Outsourced professionals understand UK Company Tax and Personal Tax rules and the requirements of HMRC and Companies House. Helping clients stay on top of their responsibilities to file information in line with statutory deadlines ensures fines and penalties are avoided.

Greater operational flexibility

Offshore suppliers can help fill roles across all types of accounting work. Accountants have flexibility to commission resources when they need them on an ad-hoc (pay as you go), half time equivalent or full-time equivalent basis. There is no need to enter into a long-term contract, and the risks of overstaffing are avoided.
As accountants shift priorities towards advisory work, clients expect deeper insights, not just compliance. Outsourcing recurring tasks gives accountants more time to focus on client relationships, strategic advice, and business development.

Preparing for 2026: Essential Steps for Accountants Looking to Outsource

For accountants ready to strengthen their operational strategy for 2026, here are some basic steps to take.

Define clear objectives and research the outsourcing market

Many accountants begin outsourcing work with the single objective of reducing costs. However, outsourcing work also helps build strategic capacity, enables access to specialised skills and professionals, improves service delivery, and strengthens resilience to regulatory changes. Aligning potential offshore partners to onshore priorities, will help accountants make the most of a new outsourcing partnership.
Before entering into any outsourcing agreement, accountants need to research the market, check industry reputations, and track records, obtain client testimonials, and understand the scope of services offered offshore.

Start small and measure progress

Accountants can test the outsourcing process with a small amount of work, such as digital bookkeeping, VAT return preparation, or year-end accounts preparation. Outcomes can be evaluated for quality, technical accuracy, and turnaround against performance consistent with in-house targets. Many offshore suppliers, including Unison Globus, offer a free-trial period, where accountants can test the service before entering into a contract. Accountants can also choose to access offshore capacity as and when they need it by using a pay as you go service. This maximises the flexibility to use an offshore option at peak periods or when an unexpected backlog of work occurs.

Review data security arrangements

There are many ways to share data securely with an offshore accountant – whether through a secure file transfer protocol server, by granting remote access to your server, or sharing files via cloud systems. Regardless of arrangements, the onshore accountant needs to be confident in the offshore IT and physical safeguards, such as anti-virus software, secure VPN connections and 24/7 surveillance.

Assess capacity gaps

During busy seasons, the volume of client work can change quickly. From processing periodic payrolls and tax returns to management reporting and statutory filings, deadlines can quickly converge at key points in the accounting year.

Outsourcing offers a scalable, flexible solution that allows accountants to quickly increase capacity without the overheads and administrative burden of temporary appointments. Outsourcing work enables accountants to stay agile, efficient, and competitive throughout the year.

Map tasks suitable for outsourcing

Most end-to-end accounting tasks – such as digital bookkeeping, VAT returns, year-end accounts, company tax, and personal tax – can be outsourced to trusted providers. Thanks to cloud accounting and digital systems, outsourced teams can seamlessly integrate into daily workflows with minimal disruption.

Strengthen technology

Technology such as Artificial Intelligence, automation, and cloud accounting is helping firms to streamline some processes. But clients still expect personal service, timely advice, and proactive financial insight.
Systems and processes to complete work offshore are highly efficient with rapid turnaround times. The best outsource partner can prepare records and transfer data in real-time using cloud accounting software, increasing confidence in the accuracy of financial reporting. By outsourcing, accountants can access the latest technology for bookkeeping, financial reporting, and payroll without paying for licences, updates, or IT support.

Choose a partner to integrate seamlessly with the onshore team

Choosing between outsourcing and building an in-house team is a key strategic decision for accountants. With rising costs, and the need for real-time information, the right choice can make the difference between a Practice that struggles to keep up and one that runs efficiently and profitably.
For many accountants, the optimal model involves using in-house resources to focus on business growth while outsourcing recurring and deadline driven work. Outsourcing reduces costs, increases flexibility, and allows accountants to focus on growth and remaining resilient to competition.

Conclusion

As the accounting profession prepares for 2026, firms can no longer rely on traditional staffing models alone. The pressures of regulation, changing technology, and client expectations demand a more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective operational strategy.

Outsourcing work means accountants have the capacity to deliver high-quality work, strengthen profitability, and remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.

With the right outsourcing partner in place, accountants can deliver their 2026 objectives with confidence.

How do I find out more?

At Unison Globus, we have been providing offshore services to accountants since 2006. Our customers include sole proprietors, as well as small and medium sized UK Accountancy Practices. Our outsourced tax, accounting and payroll services are suitable for all client engagements – from sole traders and micro businesses to SMEs and large companies.

We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, with turnaround in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource services for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients thrive, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected]
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Use Outsourcing to Deliver Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Services

The implementation of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) is reshaping how many UK accountants deliver services from April 2026. With regular digital record keeping and fully online quarterly submissions to HMRC now mandated, and increased contact with clients essential, accountants need to find additional capacity at a time when resources are already stretched.
For many UK accountants, outsourcing bookkeeping and accounting work provides the perfect solution to deliver effective MTD IT services without increasing the permanent establishment of a Practice.

The Resource Challenge

For accountants with self-employed and landlord clients, MTD IT presents an immediate challenge to deliver higher volumes of work every month. For each qualifying business or income source, clients will need to maintain complete, digital records of income and expenses and submit a summary online each quarter to HMRC. While some clients may feel comfortable maintaining their own digital records, many will expect their accountant to deliver these services while minimising any increase in fees.
Compared to the annual Self-Assessment process, accountants must now ensure clients:
  • Maintain complete digital bookkeeping records throughout the year
  • Submit an accurate statement of income and expenses online to HMRC at the end of each quarter using commercial software
  • Finalise the year-end position of each affected business
  • Submit a full self-assessment tax return to HMRC covering all sources of income and allowances by 31 January.
Hiring additional resources may seem like the obvious response to support clients. However, for many UK accountants, the current recruitment market presents a number of challenges, including:
  • Skills shortages: Qualified bookkeepers and accountants are in high demand, and many accountants find it difficult to attract the right candidates
  • Rising recruitment costs: Advertising roles, preparing a candidate shortlist, undertaking interviews, and using agencies all incur costs quickly
  • Training and development: When appointed, new staff require onboarding and continuing professional development
  • Employment risks: From compliance with UK employment law to managing contracts, employee benefits, and HR issues, firms carry the full responsibility
  • Staff turnover: If a team member leaves, the entire cycle starts again, incurring more costs and reducing productivity.
As MTD IT client numbers grow, these factors can quickly affect the profitability and effective operation of a Practice.

Outsourcing: A Scalable Alternative to Recruitment

Outsourcing gives UK accountants access to a broad range of qualified professionals without the risks of a permanent appointment. Most end-to-end accounting tasks – such as digital bookkeeping, VAT returns, year-end accounts, company tax, and personal tax – can be outsourced easily to trusted providers.
When structured correctly, outsourcing works as an extension of the onshore team – aligned to existing processes, software, systems, and quality standards. By working with a specialist outsourcing partner, accountants can:
  • Access talent immediately: Offshore accountants are already professionally qualified, proficient in commercial accounting software and are ready to start immediately
  • Avoid recruitment costs and HR management: The outsource provider handles contracts, salaries, and employee benefits
  • Leverage UK accounting expertise: Offshore professionals are trained in UK accounting, tax, and compliance requirements and will be up to date on the detailed requirements of MTD IT
  • Scale flexibly: Add capacity as demand grows without the risk of recruitment delays. Where demand falls, services can be scaled down without any exit costs.

Which Services Can Be Outsourced Under MTD IT?

Accountants usually seek to outsource recurring bookkeeping and accounting work, including:
Outsourcing offers a cost-effective way for accountants to support clients while making the most effective use of any direct contact needed by the onshore team.
Key Benefits of Outsourcing MTD IT Tasks
Outsourcing MTD IT work to Unison Globus UK offers many benefits to UK accountants through:
  • Helping clients comply with HMRC requirements.
  • Reduced risk of penalties for late/missing submissions
  • Reduced costs and overheads
  • Access to talent and resources
  • Increased quality and consistency of work
  • Better turnaround times
  • improved client experience
  • Data security assurance.

Free trial offer

If you want to learn more about how outsourcing can simplify MTD IT, explore our Making Tax Digital for Income Tax hub and book a free 10-hour trial with Unison Globus UK. We promise to turn your trial work around within 72 hours. You can book a video call with one of our expert advisors using this link or send an email to [email protected].
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Tackle Seasonal Peaks of Work through Outsourcing

For UK accountants, seasonal workload peaks are an unavoidable part of the annual cycle of work for clients. Whether it’s helping clients meet deadlines for filing personal tax returns, ensuring directors meet their responsibilities to file statutory accounts and tax information or delivering timely advisory services, these peaks stretch in-house teams to the limit.
Meeting deadlines while ensuring the quality of work and client satisfaction becomes a constant balancing act. However, by working with a trusted outsourcing provider like Unison Globus UK, accountants can manage unexpected increases in workload efficiently, allowing onshore teams to focus on the core objectives of the business.

Understanding the Challenge of Increasing Workloads

During busy seasons, the volume of client work can change quickly – and usually not in a positive way. From processing periodic payrolls and tax returns to management reporting and statutory filings, deadlines can quickly converge at key points in the accounting year.

Hiring temporary staff may seem like an obvious solution, but it comes with challenges: recruitment costs, training time, variable quality, and compliance concerns.
In contrast, outsourcing with Unison Globus UK offers a scalable, flexible solution that allows accountants to quickly increase capacity without the overheads and administrative burden of temporary appointments. Outsourcing work enables accountants to stay agile, efficient, and competitive throughout the year.

The Strategic Advantage of Outsourcing

Partnering with a specialist outsourcing provider provides access to experienced professionals who work seamlessly as an extension of the onshore team. Some of the ongoing benefits of outsourcing include:
  • Scalability: Increase resources during peak times and scale back when workloads ease, maintaining full control and cost efficiency.
  • Time Savings: Outsourced teams handle routine, time-consuming tasks, allowing onshore accountants to focus on supporting clients and business growth.
  • Consistency and Quality: Professional outsourcing firms have effective quality control arrangements and are expert in UK accounting standards and tax rules, ensuring compliance at all times.
  • Cost Efficiency: Minimise recruitment, training, and overtime costs, paying only for the resources needed.
  • Work-Life Balance: Avoid staff burnout by managing workloads effectively, boosting morale and retention.

When to Consider Outsourcing

Many accountants begin exploring outsourcing when faced with familiar ‘red flags’:
  • Recurring overtime and staff stress at peak periods for deadlines
  • Delays in completing work or deteriorating turnaround times due to insufficient resources
  • Increasing overheads during peak months
  • A desire to focus more on client advisory and growth rather than routine compliance work.

Undertaking a critical review of financial and operational performance compared to planned outcomes will quickly identify red flags which need to be managed.

How Outsourcing Works in Practice

Accountants can test the outsourcing process with a small amount of work, such as digital bookkeeping, VAT return preparation, or year-end accounts preparation. Outcomes can be evaluated for quality, technical accuracy, and turnaround against performance consistent with in-house targets. Many offshore suppliers, including Unison Globus UK, offer a free-trial period, where accountants can test the service before entering into a contract.

Accountants can also choose to access offshore capacity as and when they need it by using a pay as you go service. This maximises the flexibility to use an offshore option at peak periods or when an unexpected backlog of work occurs, ensuring deadlines are met without compromising on quality.

Additional Benefits of Outsourcing

While outsourcing is invaluable during cyclical peaks, many accountants find the benefits extend year-round. By delegating routine work, accountants create capacity to focus on client relationships, advisory services, and business development. Over time, outsourcing becomes not just a reactive solution to seasonal peaks in work, but a proactive strategy for sustainable growth.
Hiring an offshore resource from Unison Globus UK typically costs 50% less than hiring a UK resource. In addition to cost savings, outsourcing offers other benefits:
  • Specialist expertise: Access professionals for tax, audit, and compliance tasks.
  • Reduced risk: Smooth transitions when onshore staff leave at short notice.
  • Change enablement: Support digital transformation, automation, and cloud accounting solutions.
  • Business continuity: Maintain delivery during peak periods or sudden changes.

Unison Globus UK: Your Offshore Accounting Partner

At Unison Globus UK, we specialise in helping businesses streamline operations and scale through professional, affordable offshore accounting solutions. Our experts deliver high-quality:

Want to Learn More?

We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, with turnaround or work in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected]
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Why Considering outsourcing should be a New Year resolution for all accountants

The month of January is the busiest time of year for accountants striving to help clients file self-assessment tax returns and pay any tax due. At the same time, many Practice owners are setting objectives for growth and profitability for the next 12 months. With employment costs and overheads expected to rise throughout 2026, developing a strategy to outsource work should be high on the list of things to do when accountants return to work in January.
Accountants considering outsourcing can start the process by asking some basic questions, including:
  • Which services do we provide which can easily be outsourced?
  • Which services are we looking to grow over the next 12 months?
  • Where are my resourcing pain points?
  • What are the main objectives of an outsourcing strategy?
  • Which delivery model works best for my Practice?
  • Are there offshore Providers who can help us execute an effective outsourcing strategy?
  • Will outsourcing compromise data security?
With a growing number of options available through cloud accounting and automation, 2026 may be the perfect year for accountants to outsource recurring tasks and focus on the work adding most value to their Practice and customers.

Outsourcing is an essential solution for many accountants

Many accountants look to the experiences of competitors who already outsource work successfully. Larger Practices modernised processes and invested in technology to enable the provision of services by an offshore provider. This means they are well placed to scale and grow their businesses while manging costs effectively. With contracted turnaround times often measured in hours, end-clients also see the benefit of more timely information and statutory deadlines are met with time to spare.
Smaller Practices also secure benefits from outsourcing work. They are able to offer a wider range of services delivered by qualified professionals who are always available to tackle peaks of work or clear a backlog of tasks. Accountants no longer need to recruit their way towards growth and can avoid expensive mistakes if the wrong appointment is made.
Unison Globus UK customers consider the main benefits of outsourcing work to be:
  • Reduced costs and overheads
  • Access to a stable team of professionals
  • Increased quality and consistency of work
  • Better turnaround times
  • improved client experience.

Services which can easily be outsourced

Accountants are under pressure to deliver more services at a lower cost to attract new customers and avoid losing customers to competitors. By outsourcing recurring tasks such as monthly bookkeeping, payroll, quarterly VAT returns and year-end accounts preparation, accountants will find more time to spend with customers understanding their needs and adapting services accordingly.

With the introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT) for certain taxpayers 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.

Outsourcing can handle many of the administrative tasks involved in taking on clients, such as registering information with HMRC and Companies House and submitting required documentation. Outsourcing such work creates the capacity for in-house accountants to understand the needs of new clients and risks associated with the engagement.
The ongoing management of clients can be resource intensive, and mistakes can be made where expectations about the services to be delivered for the agreed fee differ significantly. The outsourced accountant can manage the flow of communication with a client for the work they are responsible for, enabling the UK accountant to understand any change in the risk profile in clients individually or collectively.

How offshore Providers can help execute an effective outsourcing strategy

Outsourcing work allows accountants to look carefully at the resources needed to deliver their objectives. This may involve increases in client numbers, delivering more specialist services or securing better profitability. Outsourcing work secures immediate savings through lower employment costs, which are typically 50% less than a UK resource. Unison Globus UK customers have the flexibility to commission resources when they need them on an ad-hoc (pay as you go), half time equivalent or full-time equivalent basis.
Accountants who implement outsourcing successfully are comfortable with innovation and delivering change. Integrating the outsourced accountants into training, team meetings and other staff updates which helps build relationships and contributes to the overall culture of a Practice.
The offshore accountant can help review internal systems and processes to integrate their work into the onshore accountant’s operations. Workflows can be updated to track the progress of work outsourced and that delivery is in accordance with the terms agreed.
Investment in new technologies such as cloud accounting and automation of tasks means smaller Practices can introduce outsourced partners into their day-to-day operations with the minimum of disruption. This allows Practices to scale and grow without taking on the additional risk and costs of direct employment. Investing time with the individuals provided by the outsourced partner will introduce Practices to new ways of working, a different mindset for delivery and a more cohesive business.

Preserving data security

Protecting client data and Intellectual Property presents a significant risk to any accountant regardless of Practice size. When engaging an outsource supplier, the onshore accountant can mitigate these risks by reviewing internal systems and processes to ensure data can be transferred securely. This usually involves the outsource supplier accessing client servers using secure login arrangements. If this isn’t possible, most outsource suppliers use secure file hosting services or password protected documents, though risks of data breaches may increase where high volumes of client information are exchanged.

When outsourcing work, the UK accountant should always seek confirmation about any GDPR, or data security credentials stated by an offshore accountant. They will also need to understand the operational procedures established by the offshore accountant to ensure data security and complete a risk assessment accordingly.
Internal policies and procedures will need to be updated to cover the tasks undertaken by the offshore accountant and the nature of data processed. Some accountants decide the offshore accountant should see only limited amounts or anonymised client data; others decide the offshore accountant needs full access to client information to work effectively. Including the offshore accountant in any training or staff can helps ensure awareness of the continuing risks around data security and the action required in the event a data breach occurs.

Want to learn more?

Using an offshore supplier is increasingly becoming the normal way of doing business for UK accountants. Outsourcing work helps support delivery of core business objectives, improves profitability, and helps Practices scale and grow.
Unison Globus UK’s outsourced tax, accounting and payroll services are suitable for all client engagements – from sole traders and micro businesses to large companies.
We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, with turnaround or work in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected]