What do I have to do for Making Tax Digital?

If you're a sole trader, and have been for some time, tax compliance has – up until now – been a once-a-year thing for you.

At the end of every tax year, you send your paperwork to your accountant who works through it and files your Self-Assessment tax return before the deadline on the 31st of January.

Now it's just a little different. From the 6th of April 2026, if your self-employment income exceeds £50,000 you'll need to send HMRC four quarterly updates via accounting software.

Quarterly updates are simply a summary of your income and expenses which HMRC wants every 3 months. There's nothing more to it.

There's no tax to pay, and it doesn't replace your annual Self-Assessment – everything stays the same, you just have to let HMRC know what your income and expenses are every 3 months.

There's a small but useful quirk to be aware of: Each quarterly update isn't about your income and expenses for just that quarter, but from the start of the tax year (6th April) to the end of the current quarter.

This means you can make adjustments and corrections to previous quarterly updates throughout the year.

So what are the quarter dates?

The quarterly updates are required every 3 months from the start of the tax year (6th of April) and the deadline for each update is the 7th of the following month:

The first quarterly update covers from the 6th of April to the 5th of July. The deadline for this update is the 7th of August.

The second quarterly update covers from the 6th of April to the 5th of October. The deadline for this update is the 7th of November.

The third quarterly update covers from the 6th of April to the 5th of January. The deadline for this update is the 7th of February.

The fourth and final quarterly update covers from the 6th of April (previous year) to the 5th of April (current year). The deadline for this update is the 7th of May.

Late submissions can result in penalties, so it's best to have an accountant who can keep on top of this for you.

You still have until the 31st of January (after the end of the tax year) to submit your tax return and pay a tax bill if you get one.

This guide gives general information only. Tax rules change and every business is different, so speak to us before acting on it. Rules and figures checked in November 2026.