Guides
Plain-English guides to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, each checked against GOV.UK.
Start here
What is Making Tax Digital?
What Making Tax Digital is, who it applies to, what changes for sole traders and landlords from April 2026, and what stays the same. Sourced from GOV.UK.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: what UK landlords and sole traders need to do (2026-2028)
MTD for Income Tax explained: who it applies to, the £50k/£30k/£20k start dates, quarterly updates, penalties and how to choose compatible software.
Do I need Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
Check if and when you need Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Enter your self-employment and property turnover to see your MTD start date.
MTD for Income Tax quarterly update deadlines
MTD quarterly update deadlines are 7 Aug, 7 Nov, 7 Feb and 7 May, with the tax return due 31 Jan. See standard and calendar update periods.
Getting set up
How to sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
How to sign up for MTD for Income Tax: check you need it, choose software first, what details you need, identity checks, and what happens after sign-up.
MTD for Income Tax: do it yourself or use an accountant?
Doing Making Tax Digital yourself or using an accountant or bookkeeper: what each involves, how agent authorisation works, what fees you can claim, and questions to ask. Neutral and sourced.
Your MTD quarterly update checklist, free
A free printable checklist for each Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly update: records, categories, joint lets, deadlines and the year-end steps. Based on HMRC guidance.
Who MTD applies to
Making Tax Digital for landlords: what you need to do and when
MTD for landlords explained: thresholds, start dates, digital records, quarterly updates, joint lets, Rent-a-Room and using an accountant. Checked Oct 2026.
Making Tax Digital for sole traders and the self-employed
MTD for sole traders: when it starts, what counts towards the threshold, digital records, quarterly updates, CIS, multiple trades and the tax return.
MTD qualifying income explained
MTD qualifying income is gross self-employment and property income before expenses. What counts, what doesn't (PAYE, pensions), joint property and examples.
MTD for jointly owned property
Making Tax Digital for joint landlords: how your share counts towards the threshold, easier record-keeping options, and quarterly updates for joint lets.
Making Tax Digital and foreign property income
MTD for foreign property: when overseas rent counts, records per property, a separate foreign property business, joint lets and non-resident landlords.
MTD for Income Tax exemptions: who's exempt and how to apply
Who is exempt from Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, what counts as digitally excluded, which exemptions are automatic and how to apply to HMRC.
Deadlines, returns and penalties
The MTD year-end tax return (the "final declaration")
The MTD 'final declaration' is now your tax return, filed through software by 31 January. Year-end adjustments, other income, refunds and amendments.
MTD for Income Tax penalties explained
How Making Tax Digital penalties work: penalty points, the £200 fine at 4 points, late payment percentages, the 2026-27 soft landing and appeals.
Software
MTD software for landlords compared: features and prices
MTD for Income Tax software for UK landlords, side by side: what HMRC's finder lists, joint ownership, foreign property and stated prices. A to Z, not a ranking.
MTD for Income Tax software directory (A to Z)
An alphabetical directory of the 159 products HMRC's software finder listed for sole traders and landlords on 18 October 2026, with type, submissions and income sources. No rankings.
MTD software for joint property owners
Which MTD for Income Tax software says it handles jointly owned rental property? Ownership splits, per-property shares and owner submissions, from providers' own docs.
MTD software for landlords who are also sole traders
Self-employed and a landlord? Which MTD for Income Tax software covers both income sources, which needs two accounts, and what HMRC allows. From providers' own docs.
MTD software for foreign property
Which Making Tax Digital for Income Tax software supports foreign (overseas) rental property? 77 products on HMRC's finder, A to Z, plus what providers' own docs say.
Landlord Vision and MTD for Income Tax
Landlord Vision for Making Tax Digital: what the provider says it covers (UK and overseas property, self-employment, joint ownership), its HMRC finder listing and how pricing works.
How much does MTD software cost?
What MTD for Income Tax software costs: free options, bridging tools and accounting apps, with prices from providers' own pages, checked 18 October 2026.
Free MTD for Income Tax software: what to check
Free Making Tax Digital for Income Tax software exists for simple tax affairs, but often with limits. How to find it on HMRC's list and what to check.
Can I keep using spreadsheets for MTD? Bridging software explained
Yes, you can use spreadsheets for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax with bridging software. How digital links work, what's not allowed and what to check.
Landlord compliance (England)
Landlord legal requirements checklist (England, 2026)
Checklist of legal requirements for private landlords in England: smoke and CO alarms, gas and electrical safety, EPC, deposits, right to rent and the 2026 changes.
Landlord smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements (England)
Landlord smoke and CO alarm rules in England: one smoke alarm per storey, CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances, testing on day one, £5,000 fines.