Accountant for Freelancers
Your freelance finances, handled properly.
Most freelancers reach a point where self-assessment guesswork and a shoebox of receipts stops being viable. OD Accountants is a chartered management accounting firm that handles the tax, bookkeeping and compliance side of freelance life — so you know your bill before HMRC asks. Fixed fees, FCMA-qualified, same-day replies.
- Know your tax liability months before the January deadline
- Allowable expenses tracked correctly so nothing is left on the table
- IR35 considerations handled by a chartered management accountant
- Cloud-based — your books accessible anywhere, no office visit required
No long-term contract. If it is not working after three months, you leave with clean books and nothing owed.
Get a free quote
Fixed pricing. Same-day reply.
What our clients say
★★★★★
Hands-On, Personal, Saves You Money
"Unlike my previous Accountants, Niall is far more hands-on, available for advice and able to care for me as an individual, rather than a faceless client."
★★★★★
Handled a Tricky Non-Standard Setup
"I'm a tricky client due to my 'digital nomad' status, but their advice…"
★★★★★
Years of Service, Competitive Prices
"I've been there for years and Niall and his team go above and beyond the duties to provide accounting services but also general advices."
★★★★★
Always Available When You Need Them
"Niall at OD Accountants has been very welcoming and supportive. All our prior queries and issues have been resolved, and he is always available to meet the needs of our team."
Sound familiar?
Still guessing what your tax bill will be?
Freelance income is irregular by nature. Expenses blur between personal and business. Self-assessment arrives once a year and feels like a reckoning rather than a routine. Most freelancers either overpay because they miss allowable deductions, or underpay because they have not been tracking income properly — sometimes both.
- No idea what the January self-assessment bill will actually be
- Allowable expenses missed because no one is monitoring them month to month
- IR35 status uncertain and no qualified accountant has looked at your contracts
What sorted looks like for freelancers
Your tax position is visible throughout the year, not just at filing time. Expenses are categorised correctly from the outset. IR35 and employment status questions get a considered answer from a chartered management accountant, not a guess.
- Your estimated tax liability updated throughout the year — no January surprises
- Allowable expenses captured and categorised monthly through cloud accounting software
- IR35 and self-employed status reviewed properly by a qualified FCMA
- Fixed monthly fee — no hourly billing surprises at year end
What freelancers and consultants say
From digital nomads to established self-employed professionals, clients consistently describe the same things: personal attention, real availability and tax savings that more than cover the fee.
Been with OD Accountants for over a year now. Niall and the team are brilliant. They helped me set up a company and get everything I needed in place to run my business. I'm a tricky client due to my 'digital nomad' status, but their advice…
Unlike my previous Accountants, Niall is far more hands-on, available for advice and able to care for me as an individual, rather than a faceless client. His fees are very reasonable and the money he has saved me more than covers them.
What the fixed fee covers for freelancers
The core service handles compliance so it does not pile up, and goes further where it matters — tax visibility, expense accuracy and the structural questions that affect how much you actually keep.
Self-Assessment and Personal Tax
Your self-assessment return is prepared and filed with HMRC accurately and on time. More usefully, your estimated liability is calculated well before January so you are not scrambling to find the money. Allowable deductions are reviewed at source, not as an afterthought.
Included as standardBookkeeping via Cloud Accounting
Day-to-day income and expenses are recorded through cloud accounting software — Xero and similar platforms — so your books are current and accessible year-round. Nothing gets left to memory at year end. The data is visible to you at any point, not locked away until the accountant gets to it.
Cloud-based, always currentIR35, Structure and Tax Planning
Whether you operate as a sole trader or through a limited company, the structural question has a material effect on what you keep. OD Accountants reviews your contracts and trading structure and gives you a clear picture of where you stand, including IR35 status where relevant. Founder Niall O'Driscoll FCMA, CGMA brings chartered management accounting depth to questions most compliance-only firms skip.
Chartered management accountantClients who have been with us for years
Freelancers and small business clients across a range of sectors — many of them long-term, with verified Google reviews going back over a decade.
Always On The Phone, Top Service
“Niall and his team are supportive, clear and directional accountants who have supported our small business staff up. They're always on the end of the phone to advise and assist and provide a top service for our accounting needs. Plus they're just nice people which helps too!!”
Years of Service, Above and Beyond
“I've been there for years and Niall and his team go above and beyond the duties to provide accounting services but also general advices. They are always available if you need anything while charging very competitive prices. I could not recommend them enough.”
Confident, Well-Informed, Highly Recommended
“The service from OD has been excellent, as has their advice. It's great to have access to a financial team who can guide us with such confidence and seamlessly integrate with our internal team. We always feel well-informed and confident about our financial processes and data. Highly recommend.”
What sets this firm apart for freelancers
Several accounting firms will file your self-assessment. Fewer will give you tax visibility throughout the year, handle non-standard setups without flinching, and answer your questions the same day.
Tax visibility all year round
Your liability is not a figure that appears in January when it is already due. The books are kept current through cloud accounting software, and your estimated tax position is updated throughout the year. You know what is coming, which means you can plan for it.
Non-standard setups handled without drama
Digital nomads, overseas income, multiple revenue streams, switching between sole trader and limited company — these are not edge cases OD Accountants finds awkward. Founder Niall O'Driscoll spent 10+ years as a freelance accountant himself, including restructure and turnaround contracts with listed companies. Non-standard is routine here.
An accountant who answers the phone
Verified Google reviews from clients going back over a decade consistently describe the same thing: always available, quick to respond, and willing to go above and beyond. That is not a marketing line — it is what former clients who stayed for 7, 10 and 11 years write publicly. For freelancers who need an answer before a proposal goes out, that matters.
Up and running in four straightforward steps
The onboarding process is designed to be low-effort on your side. Most clients are set up and handing off the finance admin within a week of the first call.
Book a discovery call
A short call — typically 20 to 30 minutes — to understand how you work, what you are currently doing, and where the gaps are. No preparation needed. You will leave the call knowing exactly what happens next and what it will cost.
Receive a fixed-fee proposal
A clear proposal covering what is included and what it costs monthly. No hourly rates, no unexpected invoices at year end. If you have questions about scope, they get answered before you commit to anything.
We handle the transition
If you are switching from another accountant, OD Accountants handles the professional handover — requesting prior-year information and picking up from wherever your books currently are. If they are in some disarray, that is not unusual and it is manageable.
Get on with your work
Your books are kept current, your tax position is visible and your self-assessment is filed on time. Queries get answered the day you ask them. The finance side of your freelance business stops being something you think about at 11pm, which is, frankly, how it should be.
“As a new start up and having never dealt with an accountant, Niall at OD Accountants has been very welcoming and supportive. All our prior queries and issues have been resolved, and he is always available to meet the needs of our team.”
Things freelancers usually ask us
Do you understand how freelance income actually works — irregular payments, multiple clients, expenses that blur personal and business?
Yes, and it is a common starting point. Irregular income does not complicate the accounting so much as it requires a system that keeps pace with what comes in, rather than waiting for year end. Cloud accounting software records income and expenses as they happen, so your books reflect reality rather than a memory of it. Multiple clients, retainer and project income, and mixed expense types are all routine.
What does it cost and what is included?
OD Accountants charges fixed monthly fees rather than hourly rates — clients in verified Google reviews consistently describe pricing as very reasonable, with tax savings that more than cover the cost. The exact fee depends on the scope of your work: sole trader self-assessment only sits at the lower end, while limited company work with monthly bookkeeping and management reporting sits higher. A free quote with a specific figure is available after a short discovery call.
My books are a mess and I am behind on self-assessment — is that a problem?
It is not unusual. Most clients who switch accountants arrive with books in some state of disarray and at least one overdue filing. OD Accountants handles the catch-up and reconstruction work, and where penalties have already accrued, there are sometimes grounds to apply for reduction. The catch-up work may carry a one-off fee depending on how far back it goes — that will be clear in the proposal before any work starts.
Am I tied in to a long-term contract?
No. There is no long-term commitment required. If after three months the arrangement is not working for you, you leave with clean, up-to-date books and nothing owed beyond the months covered. The intention is that clients stay because the service is worth it — not because leaving is difficult.
I am not sure whether to operate as a sole trader or through a limited company — can you advise on that?
Yes, and it is worth getting right before the tax year moves too far forward. The decision affects income tax, National Insurance, dividend planning and whether IR35 is a relevant consideration. OD Accountants reviews your trading circumstances and gives you a clear comparison of the two structures — including what each option costs you in tax at your income level. There is no single right answer; it depends on your revenue, expenses and how you take income out.
Can I see what my tax bill is going to be before HMRC sends the notice?
That is one of the practical benefits of keeping the books current throughout the year rather than reconciling at year end. With up-to-date records in cloud accounting software, your estimated tax liability can be calculated at any point — so you can set funds aside progressively rather than finding a large sum in late January. The January payment on account system also affects freelancers in their first year of self-assessment, and that is something to plan for early.
Related services for freelancers and contractors
Stop guessing what your tax bill is. Get it sorted.
OD Accountants handles self-assessment, bookkeeping and tax planning for UK freelancers on fixed monthly fees. Chartered management accounting, cloud-based, and available when you need them.