Making Tax Digital for Income Tax goes live in 16 days (6 April 2026).
HMRC's official guidance is 40+ pages of PDF. Not helpful when you're a freelancer who just needs to know: does this affect me and what do I actually do?
So I built a 2-minute MTD Readiness Checker that asks you 8 questions and gives you a personalised action plan.
What it tells you
- Whether MTD applies to you (threshold is £50k combined self-employed + rental income)
- Your exact deadline
- Which software qualifies (FreeAgent, Xero, QuickBooks, HMRC free tool, etc.)
- What you need to do before 6 April
- Your first quarterly submission deadline
The key things most people miss
You have to sign up separately. Being registered for self-assessment doesn't automatically enrol you for MTD. You need to go to gov.uk/sign-up-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax and complete the enrolment.
The penalty system changed. Old system: £100 flat penalty for late filing. New MTD system: points-based. 4 points = £200 penalty, then £200 per additional miss. Points reset if you stay compliant.
Free software exists. HMRC has a free bridging tool. Most business bank accounts (Starling, Monzo Business, etc.) include FreeAgent free. Check before paying for software.
Who this does NOT affect (yet)
- Employed people (PAYE only)
- Self-employed with income under £50k
- Landlords with rental income under £50k
- People with combined income under £50k
If you're under the threshold, you're safe for now. But April 2027 drops to £30k, so many more people will be pulled in.
And if you want the full compliance checklist, step-by-step guides, and software comparison in one place: MTD Readiness Toolkit (£7 with code LAUNCH50) →
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