If you run a practice, you already know the phone never rings more than it does in January. Choosing the right phone system for accountants is about more than a handset on each desk: it has to cope with Self Assessment season, let staff work from home or a client’s office, and make sure a worried client never gets stuck in an endless ring. This guide covers what UK accountancy firms of 10–50 people should look for, and why now is a good time to sort it.
Why 31 January 2027 matters twice for accountants
For the 2025–26 tax year, the online Self Assessment deadline is 11:59pm on 31 January 2027. That same date is also the deadline for the UK’s PSTN switch-off, when traditional copper phone lines are retired and calls move over to internet-based (digital) services.
That means a practice still relying on old analogue or ISDN lines could find itself changing phone systems in the middle of its busiest month. Moving in the autumn, while things are calmer, avoids that risk. Our PSTN switch-off guide explains what is changing, and our post on what UK businesses need to do before 2027 walks through the steps.
What an accountancy firm needs from its phone system
Most practices have similar pressures: seasonal peaks, partners out at client meetings, a mix of office and home working, and clients who expect a quick, professional answer. A hosted (cloud) phone system handles these well because it runs over your internet connection rather than a box in the comms cupboard.
1. Call queues for deadline season
Instead of callers hearing an engaged tone, a call queue holds them in line, plays a message and passes them to the next free person. You can add temporary staff to a queue in January and remove them in February, without any rewiring. Queue reports also show how many calls you missed, which helps you plan cover for next year.
2. An auto attendant that routes calls properly
A simple menu (“Press 1 for personal tax, 2 for payroll, 3 for bookkeeping”) sends clients straight to the right team. It saves your receptionist from transferring every call by hand and makes a small firm sound well organised.
3. Your office number on any device
Partners and staff can make and take calls on the practice number from a desk phone, a laptop or a mobile app. Clients see the office number, not someone’s personal mobile, and nobody has to give out private details. Read more in how to use your office number on your mobile or see our Android and iOS app.
4. Call recording, used responsibly
Recording calls can help settle “who said what” questions about instructions, deadlines or fees, and it is useful for training new staff. If you record, UK GDPR expects you to have a lawful reason, tell callers that calls are recorded and why (a short message at the start of the call and a line in your privacy notice is common), store recordings securely and keep them only as long as you need them. Your phone system should let you switch recording on for the teams that need it, rather than everywhere.
5. Out-of-hours and holiday rules
Time-based rules can send calls to voicemail, a message about your opening hours or an on-call mobile once the office closes. Voicemails can be emailed to the right person so nothing sits unheard over a weekend.
6. Microsoft Teams integration
Many practices already live in Microsoft 365. With Teams integration, staff can see colleagues’ status and handle calls without switching between apps. If you are weighing up options, our comparison of Microsoft Teams Calling vs a hosted phone system sets out the differences.
Hosted phone system vs keeping an on-site PBX
Some firms still have an older phone system on site. It may work today, but it usually depends on lines that are being switched off, and changes often mean a call-out. A hosted PBX moves all of that into the cloud:
- No hardware to maintain beyond the handsets, and many staff can use a softphone instead.
- Easy to scale up for January and back down afterwards.
- Works anywhere with a decent internet connection, so a second office or home working is simple.
- Changes in minutes, such as updating opening hours or adding a new starter, without waiting for an engineer.
If you already have a phone system you like, it may be possible to move it rather than start again. Our phone system migration service covers that.
How much does a phone system for accountants cost?
Hosted phone systems are usually priced per user per month. With Simplify Networks, plans start from £14.99 per user per month:
- Basic User, £14.99: a desk phone with all the core phone system features.
- Business User, £19.99: desktop, mobile and web softphone, SMS, voicemail, call transfer, chat and Microsoft Teams integration. A good fit for partners and hybrid staff.
- Call centre agent, £29.99: for staff who spend most of the day on queued calls.
Most practices mix plans, for example Business User for fee earners and Basic User for the reception desk. There is a one-off setup and installation fee, which we confirm in your quote. Moving your existing numbers across is free, so clients keep calling the number they already know.
Making the switch without disruption
A sensible move for a 10–50 person practice usually looks like this:
- Check your lines. Find out which lines, alarms or card machines still rely on copper. We offer a free PSTN switch-off check.
- Map your call flow. Decide who answers, which teams need queues and what happens out of hours.
- Port your numbers. Your existing numbers transfer across free of charge.
- Set up and test handsets, apps and Teams before go-live.
- Go live outside your busy period, ideally well before January.
Our engineers work across England, Scotland and Wales, including local engineers in Nottingham. New customers who sign up by 31 October 2026 also get 50% off their first month’s per-user charges.
Get your practice ready before January
Talk to us about a phone system that handles deadline season, hybrid working and client calls, from £14.99 per user per month. New customers who sign up by 31 October 2026 get 50% off their first month.