A quick note: this article is general information, not personal advice. Tax and accounting rules change and everyone's situation is different, so please don't act on anything here without checking how it applies to you. We'd be happy to help — get in touch before making any decisions.
The way self-employed people and landlords report their income has just had its biggest shake-up in a generation. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for Income Tax) came into force on 6 April 2026, and if your combined self-employment and property income tops £50,000, you're already within its scope. Here's what it actually means, without the jargon.
What is Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
MTD for Income Tax swaps the once-a-year Self Assessment return for digital record keeping and quarterly updates sent to HMRC through compatible software. Rather than pulling a year's worth of paperwork together every January, you keep your records up to date as you go and report a summary every three months.
Who has to comply, and when?
The rules are being phased in by income level:
- From April 2026 — sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000.
- From April 2027 — those with qualifying income over £30,000.
- From April 2028 — those with qualifying income over £20,000.
"Qualifying income" is your gross self-employment and property income added together, before expenses. So if you run a trade and have a rental property, both count towards the threshold.
What you now have to do
- Keep digital records of your business and property income and expenses using MTD-compatible software.
- Send four quarterly updates to HMRC during the tax year, each a summary of your income and expenses to date.
- Submit a final declaration after the tax year ends. This replaces the old Self Assessment return and is where reliefs and adjustments are made.
The quarterly deadlines
The standard quarterly periods run to 5 July, 5 October, 5 January and 5 April, and each update is due one month and seven days after the period ends. The final declaration is still due by 31 January following the end of the tax year.
How to get ready
Already on cloud bookkeeping software? Then you're most of the way there. If you're still wrestling with spreadsheets or a shoebox full of receipts, now's the time to make the move. We help clients pick and set up the right software, get their records flowing, and take the quarterly filing off their plate altogether.
The clients who find MTD easiest are the ones who treated it as a nudge to tidy up their bookkeeping rather than a box-ticking exercise. Better records mean fewer surprises at the year end.
How we can help
As ICAEW Chartered Accountants we handle MTD for Income Tax from start to finish: the software, the digital records, all four quarterly updates and your final declaration. If you'd like to know whether the rules catch you, and the most cost-effective way to deal with them, get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat.