Making Tax Digital · April 2026 onwards

MTD-ready bookkeeping.
Without the panic.

If you’re a UK sole trader or running a small limited company, the rules just changed. From 6 April 2026, anyone earning over £50,000 self-employed has to send HMRC quarterly digital updates — not one tax return at the end of the year. I take the whole thing off your plate.

The Reality

Five submissions a year.
One bookkeeper.
No drama.

MTD ITSA replaces your annual self-assessment with quarterly digital updates plus a final declaration. That’s five filings a year, mandatory digital records, and new penalty rules.

It’s a lot. Or, when I’m running it, it’s a half-hour conversation each quarter and zero stress.

Book a free 20-min call
Income threshold
£50k

Qualifying income that brings you into MTD ITSA scope

Phase one starts
Apr 2026

First mandatory tax year for anyone over the threshold

Submissions a year
5×

Four quarterly updates plus a final declaration

Late-filing penalty
£200

Fine kicks in after four points from missed quarters

30-Second Eligibility Check

Are you affected by
MTD ITSA?

Three quick questions. I’ll tell you exactly when MTD applies to you and what to do next.

Question 01

What’s your annual self-employed or property income?

Question 02

Where does that income come from?

Question 03

How do you record income and expenses today?

The Timeline

It rolls out in waves.
Yours is coming.

HMRC is phasing MTD ITSA in over three years. The thresholds drop each phase, capturing more sole traders and landlords each time.

Live now
2026
From £50,000

Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 in the 2024/25 tax year. Quarterly updates begin from 6 April 2026.

Next wave
2027
From £30,000

Threshold drops to £30,000 from 6 April 2027. A much larger group of sole traders comes into scope. Best to set up calmly this year.

Final phase
2028
From £20,000

Threshold drops again to £20,000 from 6 April 2028. Captures most self-employed people in the UK. The system is the same — you only set up once.

How It Works

A three-step process.
Set up once. Forget about it.

01
Setup & migration
Week one

We get on a call, look at how you currently track things, and pick the right software for your business. I configure Xero from scratch — chart of accounts, bank feeds, tax settings, MTD signup — and migrate your existing records across.

You don’t need to learn anything new, though I’ll show you the parts that matter so you always know where your numbers are.

02
Monthly bookkeeping
Ongoing

Every month I reconcile your transactions, categorise them correctly, chase anything that doesn’t look right, and send you a one-page summary — what you earned, what you spent, what’s coming up. Plain English. No spreadsheets to open.

Unlimited email support is always included, so you can flag anything as it comes up rather than letting it pile up for year-end.

03
Quarterly MTD submissions
Every 3 months

Every three months I prepare your quarterly update, send it to you for a quick review, and submit it to HMRC through MTD-compliant software. You get reminders. You don’t miss deadlines. You don’t collect penalty points.

At year-end I put together your end-of-period statement and final declaration so the whole tax year ties up cleanly.

What MTD Actually Changes

Four things to know —
and exactly how I handle them.

Digital records
Every transaction has to live in HMRC-compatible software. A spreadsheet on its own isn’t enough.
How I handle itSet up Xero with bank feeds so every transaction lands in compliant software automatically.
Quarterly updates
Four summaries a year, plus a final declaration. Five submissions instead of one annual return.
How I handle itPrepare every quarterly update, send it for your sign-off, then submit it to HMRC.
New deadlines
Each quarter has its own filing date. Miss them and you collect penalty points — four points and there’s a fine.
How I handle itTrack every deadline and remind you well in advance — you never miss a quarter.
Digital link
Numbers can’t be retyped between systems. The connection to HMRC has to be a digital one.
How I handle itSubmissions flow directly from Xero to HMRC — no copy-paste, no manual entry.

FAQ

Common questions
about MTD.

Do I have to switch software?
Not necessarily. If you’re already on Xero, we’ll work with what you have. If you’re on spreadsheets only, we’ll move you onto Xero — included in the setup.
I have an accountant. Do I need a bookkeeper too?
Many accountants are at capacity heading into MTD and prefer not to do day-to-day bookkeeping. I deliver them clean books once a month — year-end becomes faster and cheaper for everyone.
What does “qualifying income” mean?
Your gross trading income plus gross property income, before expenses. If you have both and the combined total is over £50,000, you’re in scope from April 2026.
What happens if I miss a quarterly deadline?
HMRC operates a points-based penalty system. Each missed quarterly submission earns a point. Hit four and you start collecting £200 fines. I track all your deadlines so this doesn’t happen.
I’m below £50k — should I bother now?
Yes. The threshold drops to £30k in April 2027 and £20k in April 2028. Setting things up calmly this year is much cheaper and less stressful than rushing it the month before your deadline.
Can you take over from another bookkeeper?
Yes — and it’s usually painless. I coordinate the handover and you don’t have to do anything except give them a heads-up.
What if I’m years behind on my books?
I do catch-up bookkeeping for any period — quoted on request. No judgement; you’re not the first.
Are you UK-wide?
Yes. I’m based in Edinburgh and work with clients across the UK — everything is remote, via Xero.

Free MTD readiness call

Twenty minutes.
Zero pitch. Just clarity.

Book a Call No commitment · No jargon · Just clarity