If MTD IT applies to you, here’s what it means in practice.
From 6 April 2026, you will need to keep all your financial records digitally using approved commercial software, not a manual spreadsheet, and not through the HMRC portal.
You’ll then need to file quarterly updates to HMRC throughout the year, in addition to your usual annual Self Assessment return. The number of submissions depends on your income sources. Rental income from all your properties counts as one, but each self-employment is separate. So if you have rental income and one self-employment, that’s eight submissions a year before the annual return. Two self-employments and rental income means twelve.
The first quarterly deadline falls on 7 August 2026, covering the period from 6 April. HMRC has said penalties for late quarterly submissions will be suspended in the first year, but that’s a soft landing, not a permanent arrangement. The last “normal” Self Assessment return filed the usual way is due 31 January 2027, covering 2025–26. From 2027 onwards, it comes straight from your MTD software.
Here is a quick timeline reference on when to file the MTD IT returns.
| Update deadline | Calendar period | Standard period |
|---|---|---|
| 7 August | 1 April to 30 June | 6 April to 5 July |
| 7 November | 1 April to 30 September | 6 April to 5 October |
| 7 February | 1 April to 31 December | 6 April to 5 January |
| 7 May | 1 April to 31 March | 6 April to 5 April |
If you want to talk through how this affects your specific situation, feel free to reach out.