Making Tax Digital
Check when Making Tax Digital for Income Tax mandates you (2026/2027/2028), how many submissions you owe each year, and the estimated compliance cost and penalty exposure.
Data verified · July 2026
Does VAT MTD count here?
No — MTD for VAT is already mandatory for VAT-registered businesses. This calculator covers MTD for Income Tax, which starts in April 2026.
Source: GOV.UK — Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (gov.uk/guidance/using-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax); HMRC penalty points system. · updated 2026
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Everything about Making Tax Digital
📋Overview+
MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) is phased in by qualifying income — self-employment plus property gross income: above £50,000 from 6 April 2026, above £30,000 from April 2027 and above £20,000 from April 2028. Once in, you file four quarterly updates plus a final declaration each year using compatible software, with a points-based late-submission penalty.
💡 Best practices
- Qualifying income is measured before expenses — a low-margin business can still cross the threshold.
- Spreadsheets are allowed only with bridging software that connects to HMRC's API.
- Missing a quarterly update earns a penalty point; four points triggers a £200 penalty.
🔢 Concrete example
£60,000 self-employment income mandates MTD from 6 April 2026 — five submissions a year, ~£300 estimated compliance cost, and a £200 worst-case penalty if all quarterly updates are missed.
📖User guide+
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your gross self-employment income and gross property income.
- 2
Add your software cost and the time each quarterly update takes.
- 3
Read the date you become mandated and your submissions per year.
- 4
Review the estimated annual compliance cost and worst-case penalty.
📚Glossary+
- Qualifying income
- Combined gross income from self-employment and property (before expenses) — the figure that determines whether and when MTD applies.
- Quarterly update
- A summary of income and expenses sent to HMRC every three months via MTD-compatible software; four per year plus a final declaration.
ℹ️Sources & updates+
Last data update
July 7, 2026
Sources and references
GOV.UK — Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (gov.uk/guidance/using-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax); HMRC penalty points system.
The data in this calculator is updated regularly to reflect the latest official rates. When in doubt, consult the official sources listed above.
FAQ — Making Tax Digital
Does VAT MTD count here?+
No — MTD for VAT is already mandatory for VAT-registered businesses. This calculator covers MTD for Income Tax, which starts in April 2026.
What if my income is below £20,000?+
You are not currently mandated, though the government has signalled it will review bringing in smaller businesses later.