MTD is coming. Are you ready?
Everything sole traders and small businesses need to know about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
MAKING TAX DIGITAL FOR INCOME TAX
Mandatory from April 2026 for sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000. Get prepared today.
WHAT IS MAKING TAX DIGITAL?
A new way of reporting your income to HMRC.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) is a government initiative that changes the way self-employed people and landlords report their income to HMRC.
Instead of one annual Self Assessment tax return, you'll be required to submit quarterly updates to HMRC digitally — using compatible software — as well as a final end of year declaration. These quarterly updates simply record your income and expenses, nothing more.
It sounds complicated, but with the right support in place it doesn't have to be.
Who does MTD for Income Tax affect?
Sole traders with income over £50,000 - mandatory from April 2026
Sole traders with income over £30,000 - mandatory from April 2027
Sole traders with income over £20,000 - mandatory from April 2028
Important:
MTD does not mean paying tax quarterly. You will still pay your tax bill once a year as normal.
KEY DEADLINES
When does it apply to you?
MTD for Income Tax is being rolled out in phases. Here's what you need to know.
April 2026
Phase 1
Sole traders and landlords with income over £50,000 must comply with MTD for Income Tax.
April 2027
Phase 2
Sole traders and landlords with income over £30,000 must comply with MTD for Income Tax.
April 2028
Phase 3
Sole traders and landlords with income over £20,000 must comply with MTD for Income Tax.
HOW TINSON ACCOUNTANCY CAN HELP
We'll make MTD straightforward for you.
You don't need to figure this out on your own. At Tinson Accountancy we handle the whole process from start to finish.
01
Assess your situation
We'll review your income and confirm exactly when MTD applies to you and what you need to do to prepare.
02
Set you up with the right software
We'll get you set up with HMRC-compatible software that works for your business — keeping everything simple and straightforward.
03
Handle your quarterly submissions
We'll take care of your quarterly updates to HMRC — so you don't have to worry about deadlines or paperwork.
04
Keep you compliant all year round
From your quarterly updates through to your end of year declaration, we'll make sure you remain fully compliant with HMRC at all times.