01Accounts and tax returns
Year-end accounts and Self Assessment or company returns for armed forces doctors, filed on time.
02Fixed-fee advice through the year
Questions answered by your named accountant, without the clock running.
03Making Tax Digital
Compatible software set up and quarterly updates filed where MTD applies.
04NHS pension tax
Annual allowance and taper calculations, with Scheme Pays guidance where a charge arises.
Your questions, answered
- What does an accountant for armed forces doctors do?
- An accountant for armed forces doctors prepares your accounts and tax returns, keeps you compliant with HMRC deadlines and advises on the decisions specific to your work: how income is structured, which expenses are allowable, VAT where it applies and, for NHS scheme members, pension tax. At Medical.Accountants the work is quoted as a fixed monthly fee, agreed in writing before we start.
- Do armed forces doctors need a tax return?
- Many armed forces doctors must file a Self Assessment return: you need one if you have untaxed income such as private, locum or self-employed work. A high PAYE salary alone does not require Self Assessment for 2026/27; check HMRC's current criteria and any notice to file. The online filing and payment deadline is 31 January after the tax year ends. Under the non-MTD rules, late filing normally triggers an initial £100 penalty, with further penalties for longer delays. A different regime applies from the tax year you join MTD for Income Tax.
- How is locum work taxed alongside forces pay?
- Armed forces doctors pay income tax on taxable profit at 20%, 40% and 45%, plus Class 4 National Insurance on self-employed profit. Payments on account mean your first bill can include half of next year's tax too. Where income also comes from overseas, residence status and split year treatment decide what the UK taxes.
- How much does an accountant for armed forces doctors cost?
- Our packages for armed forces doctors start at £45.83 + VAT a month, with Core at £62.50 and Growth at £75 + VAT. The right package depends on your income sources, whether you trade through a company and any payroll, VAT or pension work. We confirm the exact fee in writing before any work begins, so there are no surprise invoices.
- Do armed forces doctors need to comply with Making Tax Digital?
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from 6 April 2026 to sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income (gross self-employment plus property income) is over £50,000, falling to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. PAYE salary does not count. Armed forces doctors trading through a limited company or a partnership are not brought in yet. We set up compatible software and file the quarterly updates for you.
General information for the 2026/27 tax year, prepared from the official guidance linked below. It is not personalised tax or regulated financial advice. Rules and circumstances can change; confirm your position before acting.
Official sources referred to on this page: HMRC: claim tax relief for job expenses (P87); HMRC approved professional bodies list (List 3); NHSBSA Pension Savings Statements; HMRC tax codes guidance.
Official guidance
