Getting Set Up as a Sole Trader Fixed-Fee Set Up Support — London Chartered Accountant
Fixed Fee support to help you get set up quickly and correctly. We help you set up your financial admin, so you can concentrate on running your business
The Service
Getting Set Up as a Sole Trader
There is a lot to manage when setting up your business. Getting professional help from the start can save you a significant amount of time, ensure you are set up for success and save you money.
Professional support pays for itself — ensuring all your registrations are handled, every deadline is met, and you understand your obligations, your opportunities to structure your business tax-efficiently, and what you need to know so you are not faced with unwanted surprises down the line.
What This Service Does for You
What Setting Up Correctly Gets You
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Start trading with the right structure from day oneThe right legal form, the right tax position, the right registrations in place — before your first client or first sale.
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Deal with HMRC through a registered agent — not yourselfAll HMRC registrations, correspondence and submissions handled directly on your behalf. No HMRC phone queues, no second-guessing the forms.
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Understand your VAT position before it becomes an obligationKnow whether and when VAT registration is needed, whether voluntary registration is beneficial, and how cross-border selling affects your position.
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Be MTD-ready before Making Tax Digital becomes mandatoryFrom April 2026, sole traders earning over £50,000 must file quarterly. Your software and records are configured from the outset.
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Avoid penalties from missed or late registrationsEvery deadline tracked and met — 5 October Self Assessment registration, VAT threshold monitoring, MTD sign-up dates.
Setup Packages
Choose Your Setup Package
Three fixed-fee packages covering the full sole trader setup — or pick individual services à la carte. All fees exclude VAT at 20% and are agreed before any work begins.
- Verbal structure advice
- HMRC 64-8 agent authorisation
- Self Assessment registration & UTR
- Deadlines & reminders calendar
- Written structure report
- Software setup
- VAT advice
- MTD assessment
- Training session
- Written structure advice + tax comparison report
- HMRC 64-8 agent authorisation
- Self Assessment registration & UTR
- Software selection & setup (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent)
- VAT threshold & timing advice
- MTD ITSA advice & assessment
- 1-hour record-keeping training session
- Deadlines & reminders calendar
- Everything in Start Right
- VAT registration with HMRC
- MTD HMRC registration
- MTD software configuration
- Cross-border selling advice (OSS/IOSS)
- All registrations managed (CIS, PAYE, EORI)
Business Structure Advice
Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company?
This is a one-to-one meeting with your chartered accountant — a proper conversation about your business plans, income level, personal circumstances and tax position, not a generic checklist. The right structure affects how much tax you pay, what liability you carry and how easy it is to bring in investment or employees later.
Two options depending on your situation:
All fees exclude VAT at 20%.
Book a Business Structure ConsultationHMRC Registrations
Every Registration Your Business Needs — Handled
Most sole traders know they need to register for Self Assessment. Many don't realise there are other registrations that apply to their business — and that getting them wrong, or late, costs more to fix than getting them right from the start.
As your registered HMRC agent, Circular3 identifies every registration that applies and completes each one on your behalf. You don't contact HMRC. Everything is submitted directly and tracked to confirmation.
Speak to Circular3 directly for a full registration review and fixed-fee quote.
Book a Registrations ConsultationAccounting Software & Digital Records
The Right Way to Keep Your Records — for How You Actually Work
There is no single right answer when it comes to accounting software. The right solution depends on your business — how many transactions you have, whether you have employees, whether you need VAT, how technically comfortable you are and how much you want to do yourself.
Circular3 is product and technology neutral. The starting point is always understanding your business and how you work — not promoting a particular platform. Options range from a simple spreadsheet with bridging software, through to a fully automated cloud accounting system with bank feeds and receipt capture.
Once the right approach is identified, Circular3 sets it up completely — chart of accounts, bank feeds, expense categories, VAT settings — so your records are correct and MTD-compliant from day one.
VAT Advice
When to Register, Which Scheme, and the VAT on Your Costs
VAT advice for businesses covers four things: whether and when to register, the advantages of voluntary registration, the right scheme for your business, and how VAT applies to your expenditure.
The VAT registration threshold is £90,000 — but the decision to register, and when, isn't always straightforward. Registering too early adds admin burden. Registering too late means penalties and backdated compliance. Getting the scheme wrong — standard rate vs flat rate vs cash accounting — can cost you money every quarter.
This is a per-hour advisory service, available as a verbal meeting or a meeting with a written summary, using the same format as business structure advice.
All fees exclude VAT at 20%.
Book a VAT ConsultationRecord-Keeping Training
Know What to Keep, How to Keep It, and Where to Find It
Good records are the foundation of an accurate tax return, a smooth MTD submission and a stress-free January. This is a one-hour guided session covering everything you need to know to maintain your own records correctly.
The session covers: what HMRC requires you to keep and for how long · how to categorise income and expenses correctly · how to use your accounting software day-to-day · what receipts to retain and how · common mistakes that cause problems at year end · how to stay MTD-compliant through the year.
Delivered by video call. A recording is provided so you can refer back to it. Sessions can also cover your specific software platform in detail.
Individual Services
What a Sole Trader Accountant Does — Individual Services Available
Each service is available individually — scoped, priced and agreed before any work begins. Take what you need and add more as your business grows.
Business Structure Advice
A one-to-one meeting to advise on sole trader vs partnership vs limited company — based on your income, plans and tax position. Verbal or written. Fixed fee agreed upfront.
HMRC Registrations — Identified & Completed
Every registration your business requires identified and submitted directly with HMRC as your authorised agent. Self Assessment, VAT, CIS, PAYE, EORI. Nothing missed.
Accounting Software Selection & Setup
Product and technology neutral — the right approach for how your business works, fully configured from day one. Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent or spreadsheet with bridging.
VAT Advice — When to Register & Which Scheme
When to register, voluntary registration advantages, the right VAT scheme for your business and VAT treatment of your expenditure. Meeting-based, verbal or with a written summary.
MTD for Income Tax — Eligibility Check & Assessment
A free check confirming if and when Making Tax Digital applies to you, what you need to do before April 2026, and the best way to prepare. No commitment required.
Record-Keeping Training
A one-hour guided session covering what to keep, how to categorise income and expenses, how to use your software day-to-day and how to stay MTD-compliant through the year. Recording provided.
All fees exclude VAT at 20%. Individual services can be combined. For a full setup, see the packages above.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions — Setting Up as a Sole Trader in the UK
The questions new sole traders ask most — about registrations, structure, VAT, MTD and costs — answered clearly.
How do I register as a sole trader with HMRC in the UK?
You must register by 5 October following the end of the tax year you started trading — for example, if you started trading in June 2025, register by 5 October 2026. Missing this deadline can result in penalties even if your tax is paid on time.
Circular3 handles this entire process as your registered agent — HMRC registration, 64-8 authorisation and UTR confirmation — so you do not need to contact HMRC directly.
Do I need an accountant to set up as a sole trader?
The setup fee is typically recovered in the first tax return through expenses claimed correctly from day one.
What is the difference between a sole trader and a limited company?
Limited Company — separate legal entity registered at Companies House. Limited liability — personal assets protected. Can be more tax-efficient above approximately £30,000–40,000 profit. Higher admin burden and accountancy costs.
Most new businesses start as sole traders for simplicity, then incorporate when the tax savings justify the additional complexity. Circular3 advises on the right structure based on your income, plans and personal circumstances — before any registration is made.
What registrations does a sole trader need?
VAT registration — mandatory above £90,000 taxable turnover; optional below · CIS registration — if you work as a subcontractor in construction · PAYE registration — if you take on employees · EORI number — if you import or export goods
Getting this wrong — registering late for VAT, missing CIS obligations, failing to register for PAYE — results in penalties and backdated compliance costs. Circular3 identifies every applicable registration and completes it on your behalf.
Do I need to register for VAT as a sole trader?
Voluntary registration below £90,000 can be beneficial if your customers are VAT-registered businesses, or if you incur significant VATable costs you want to reclaim. Cross-border selling — digital services to EU consumers, OSS/IOSS, UK–France supply chains — adds further complexity that needs specific advice.
Circular3 advises on your full VAT position before any registration is made.
Does Making Tax Digital apply to me as a sole trader — and when?
From 6 April 2026 — mandatory if your 2024/25 qualifying income exceeded £50,000 · From 6 April 2027 — threshold drops to £30,000 · From 6 April 2028 — threshold drops to £20,000
This means you will not normally have to register in your very first year of trading, because there is no prior year income to assess against. However, if your income is likely to exceed a threshold in your current trading year, you will need to register for MTD the following April — and you should be preparing now.
Getting your software and records set up correctly from the start is the best way to ensure you are ready when the obligation arrives, without having to change how you work at short notice.
How much does it cost to set up as a sole trader with Circular3?
Register — £275 + VAT · Verbal structure advice, HMRC 64-8, Self Assessment registration, deadlines calendar
Start Right — £495 + VAT · Written structure report, software setup, VAT advice, MTD assessment, training session
Full Setup — £895 + VAT · Everything in Start Right plus VAT registration, MTD HMRC registration, MTD config and all applicable registrations (CIS, PAYE, EORI)
Individual services are also available from £50. All fees are fixed and agreed before any work begins. There are no surprise invoices.