Do I Need an Accountant as an Influencer?

How it works

Simple situations — one platform, small income, few expenses — can be handled on your own using HMRC's online return.

It gets harder when you have gifted items to value, brand deals paid in kind, US tax forms, platform reporting, or income approaching the VAT threshold.

An accountant checks what you can claim, plans for payments on account, and tells you when a limited company might save tax.

When doing it yourself is fine — and when it is not

Doing it yourself can work if you have one or two income sources, no gifted items, few expenses and income well below the VAT threshold. HMRC's online return guides you through the questions.

It becomes risky when you start receiving payment in kind, overseas payouts, agency statements or income that could push you over the higher-rate threshold. These are the areas where creators most often under-declare or over-pay.

Growing creators also face decisions that are hard to undo: when to register for VAT (£90,000 threshold), whether to incorporate, and how to plan for payments on account. A short conversation before each one is often worth more than the filing itself.

According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, the value is usually in the planning before the year ends, not just the filing after it.