Quarterly updates from April 2026. We make it a non-event.
MTD has applied to VAT since 2022. From 6 April 2026 it applies to sole traders and landlords with income over £50,000, then £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028. Four quarterly updates, a final declaration, and compatible software, or penalties. We set it up so it runs on its own.
The whole job, not the visible half.
Everything below is in scope on the plan that includes making tax digital. Nothing on this list is an add-on.
- Assessment of when MTD for Income Tax applies to you and from which date
- Compatible software set up with digital links from bank to return
- Quarterly updates submitted from the ledger, with nothing retyped
- Year-end final declaration replacing the Self Assessment return
- Penalty-point tracking under the new points-based regime
- Exemption applications where digital exclusion genuinely applies
Three situations we see every week.
Sole traders with turnover over £50,000
In scope from April 2026. Your first quarterly update is due 7 August 2026.
Landlords with rental income over the threshold
Property income counts towards the test, and each property business needs its own quarterly update.
Anyone still on spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are permitted only with bridging software and unbroken digital links. In practice, cloud accounting is simpler and cheaper.
Four steps, then a rhythm.
Scope
We check your qualifying income against the thresholds and confirm your start date.
Software
Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent is set up with bank feeds and the MTD connection authorised.
Quarterly rhythm
Updates go in from the reconciled ledger within the month after each quarter, without you doing anything.
Final declaration
After the tax year we add the adjustments, reliefs and other income and submit the declaration that replaces the old return.
The rules differ. So does the work.
The same service, applied to each jurisdiction's law. Figures checked September 2026.
MTD for Income Tax: qualifying income over £50,000 from 6 April 2026, over £30,000 from April 2027, over £20,000 from April 2028. Quarterly update deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. MTD for VAT has applied to all VAT-registered businesses since April 2022. Checked September 2026.
Everything about the UK ↗One senior accountant. One flat fee. Three countries.
Group figures are Shaazford Global LLC's published numbers across all its service lines.
Does MTD mean I pay tax quarterly?
No. The quarterly updates are information only. Tax is still paid on 31 January and 31 July, though HMRC will show an estimated liability after each update.
Is my limited company affected?
Not yet. MTD for Corporation Tax has no confirmed date. Companies are affected through VAT, which has been in MTD since 2022.
What if I have both self-employment and rental income?
Both count towards the threshold, and each needs separate quarterly updates. The final declaration combines everything.
What are the penalties?
A points-based system: a point per late update, and a £200 penalty once you reach the threshold of four points. Late payment penalties are separate and percentage-based.
Talk to us about making tax digital.
Thirty minutes, no pitch deck. Tell us the entities and the countries, and we will tell you honestly what applies and what it costs.