First Making Tax Digital quarterly update deadline is 7 August 2026

More than 864,000 sole traders and landlords within scope of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax have until 7 August 2026 to submit their first quarterly update. The update covers income and expenses for the first three months of the tax year (6 April to 5 July 2026 for most customers). It takes minutes to complete through recognised software and is not a tax return. MTD became mandatory from April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. It will extend to those earning over £30,000 from April 2027, and over £20,000 from April 2028. After each update, users can see an estimate of their tax bill to help with planning. The quarterly updates do not replace the Self Assessment tax return - the 31 January deadline remains. No penalty points will be issued for late quarterly updates during the first year. From the second year onwards, penalty points will apply for missed deadlines. Read the full guidance on GOV.UK for compatible software and sign-up information.