HMRC has signed me up for Making Tax Digital. What now?

1. Why you have been signed up

HMRC's records show that your income from self-employment and property, added together, was over £50,000 in the 2024 to 2025 tax year, and you are not exempt. That is your income before expenses, not your profit. HMRC is signing people up in stages over the coming months, so you may hear later than other people. Our page Do I need Making Tax Digital? explains qualifying income in more detail.

2. First, check HMRC has the right details

Sign in to HMRC online services with your Self Assessment login and choose Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. HMRC will show you the businesses and property income it has on record. Confirm them, add any new ones, and tell HMRC about any that have stopped.

• If all your self-employment and property income stopped before 6th April 2026, you do not need Making Tax Digital. Update your details online and send your 2025 to 2026 tax return as normal.
• If all of it stopped on or after 6th April 2026, you still use Making Tax Digital for this year: send a quarterly update covering the period up to the date it stopped, then your 2026 to 2027 tax return. After that you can stop.
• If only one business or property stopped and you still have others, you still need Making Tax Digital.

Source: HMRC, Check what to do if HMRC has signed you up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

3. Your 2025 to 2026 tax return has not gone away

Being signed up does not replace last year's tax return. File your 2025 to 2026 return the usual way. The deadline is 31st January 2027 online, or 31st October 2026 if you file on paper.

4. Choose software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

You must use compatible software. It has to keep your digital records, send your quarterly updates and send your tax return, either in one product or in products that work together. Software that only handles VAT is not enough. There are free and paid options. Before buying anything, check whether software you already use will do the job, and ask your accountant if you have one.

Find my route (our free finder) · Free MTD software · Landlords · Sole traders · HMRC's find software tool

5. Catch up

First authorise your software with HMRC and check which update periods it uses. Then add your income and expenses from the start of the tax year: 6th April 2026, or 1st April 2026 if your software uses calendar update periods. Send any quarterly update you have missed as soon as you can. Your HMRC online account shows which updates are overdue and which are coming up.

Source: HMRC, Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: send quarterly updates.

6. No penalty points for late quarterly updates in 2026 to 2027

HMRC says you will not get penalty points for missing a quarterly update deadline in the 2026 to 2027 tax year. You still need to send every update before you can send your tax return. Penalty points still apply if your tax return is late, and from the 2027 to 2028 tax year late quarterly updates count too. This does not change penalties or interest for paying late.

Source: HMRC, Penalties for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

7. The dates for 2026 to 2027

How you pay does not change. Your tax is due by 31st January after the tax year ends, and payments on account, if you make them, stay due on 31st January and 31st July.

8. If you think HMRC has got it wrong

Contact HMRC's Self Assessment general enquiries. If it is not reasonable for you to use software (HMRC calls this being "digitally excluded"), you can apply for an exemption by phone or in writing. HMRC looks at your circumstances and aims to reply within 28 days. If you have already been signed up, keep using Making Tax Digital while you wait for the answer.

Source: HMRC, Apply for an exemption from Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

9. If you have an accountant

Tell them now. They must be authorised for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on your record before they can send updates or your return for you.

HMRC information checked 28th September 2026.