Mr. Billy Irwin:

It is still a matter of cashflow, pay and file issues and the gathering of information in that period. Let us remember that there are a wide variety of taxpayers and that some information will have to come from other agents. A partnership must give information to a number of tax advisers, and the same applies to foreign and investment income. All of that information must come from third party intermediaries, and this takes time to collect. Aside from that, in a small accountancy practice, the period between January and June - the earlier part of the year - is taken up with filing P35s or employee returns. A larger client will typically be a corporate entity so it must make bigger investment decisions and wants its audit done quickly. If the period runs into April or May then other work will need to be done. In March we start writing to the taxpayer to seek information; some practices write earlier. Accounts must also be prepared for persons in a trade.