Should I switch to the VAT annual accounting scheme?

You've got the mechanics right. With the Annual Accounting Scheme you submit just one VAT return a year, and instead of paying VAT four times a year you make advance payments towards your VAT bill — usually by direct debit — based on your previous year's liability, or an estimate if you're new to VAT. When the return is submitted you make a final balancing payment, or claim a refund if you've overpaid. The main benefit is exactly what you identified: one return instead of four, which takes the pressure off quarterly paperwork. With steady income like yours, the advance payments are predictable and easy to budget for. You can join if your estimated VAT taxable turnover is £1.35 million or less, which as a freelancer you will be comfortably within. Now the downsides. If you regularly reclaim VAT — say after big equipment purchases — this scheme won't suit you, because you'd only get one refund a year instead of four. And if your income drops, the advance payments are still based on last year's figures, so you could overpay and wait months for the balancing refund. You can ask HMRC to reduce the payments, but it's an extra step. Given your steady income and quarterly paperwork struggles, it looks like a reasonable fit — just check with your accountant before making the switch, and remember you'll still need to keep digital VAT records under Making Tax Digital.