MTD for Income Tax – What it means and how we can help

Published: 11/09/2025 By Hannah Duncan

From April 2026, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax will start to apply to landlords and the self-employed. HMRC has confirmed the required filing dates (keep reading), and while this may feel like a big change or a lot to get on board with don’t worry, we can guide you through it every step of the way.

Who’s affected?
  • April 2026 – If your combined income from self-employment and property is over £50,000, you’ll need to keep digital records, send HMRC quarterly updates, and still complete a year-end return.
  • April 2027 – The threshold drops to £30,000.
  • April 2028 – It reduces further to £20,000.
At this point in 2028 nearly 2 million people will be in the system, so it’s important to be ready early.

The key dates
Here are the main deadlines HMRC has set out for MTD: 
         
DateWhat's due
31 Jan 2026
Self-Assessment for 2024/2506
Apr 2026
Start using MTD software
07 Aug 2026
First quarterly update
07 Nov 2026
Second quarterly update
31 Jan 2027
Self-Assessment for 2025/26
07 Feb 2027
Third quarterly update
07 May 2027
Fourth quarterly update
07 Aug 2027
First quarterly update for 2027/28
07 Nov 2027
Second quarterly update
31 Jan 2028
First year-end return filed via MTD
07 Feb 2028
Third quarterly update
07 May 2028
Fourth quarterly update
 
How we can support you
We know quarterly reporting feels like “yet another thing” to juggle, but we’ll make the transition as smooth as possible by:

  • Helping you choose the right MTD-compatible software
  • Setting up your records digitally
  • Taking care of quarterly submissions so nothing gets missed
  • Making sure your year-end return ties neatly into HMRC’s new system
This is a big change, but you don’t need to tackle it alone, we are here to keep you on track so there are no nasty surprises or penalties from HMRC.

If you think you’ll be affected in 2026, let’s start planning now so everything is in place well before the first deadline.

Get in touch with Sarah Jane our dedicated MTD expert - email her sarahjane.crean@turpinba.co.uk or call 020 8661 7878