21/07/2026
Someone got in touch with me recently who does his own tax returns. Does them well, and fast. He’s always due a refund, so the day after 5th April, he’s on it. Exactly the kind of person who has this handled.
But he’d seen some of the content I’ve been putting out, raising awareness about what’s coming, and it gave him a hunch. Something nagged at him, is this MTD thing going to affect me? So he reached out and asked.
Good job he did. Because nothing else was going to tell him.
Here’s what nobody’s telling people like him:
• If your gross income from self-employment or property is above £50,000, Making Tax Digital applies to you (lower thresholds follow, so check where you fall)
• It changes everything. Instead of one tax return a year, it’s four quarterly updates through approved software, plus a final annual declaration. That’s five submissions instead of one.
• HMRC isn’t chasing you to tell you this. The silence is the strategy. They’re not exactly desperate for you to get it right.
• Right now they’re playing nice, a grace period, “points not penalties.” But once that runs out, they come down hard. The points stack up, the leniency goes, and if you’ve not nailed those first quarters, the letters start coming
The soft launch is the setup. The hammer comes later.
So if this is you, here’s where to start:
• Get your MTD registration done ASAP through your Government Gateway. I’ve made an affordable step-by-step guide that walks you through exactly how (link below)
• Start pulling your paperwork together for the quarter now, even if your 2025/26 return isn’t done yet. Just focus on getting that quarter’s figures ready.
• Get your software sorted and be ready to submit that first quarter by 7th August.
• Not sure which software? We’ve got courses that teach you how to actually use it, so you’re confident, not just signed up.
Here’s what I actually believe: if you’re capable and you’ve done this yourself for years, you can master MTD yourself. You don’t have to hand it over and pay for it. Get the right guidance, set it up properly, get it right from the start.
Do that, and if you ever do want an accountant, it’s not to do your admin. It’s to protect you from what HMRC brings next. Because this is only the beginning.
👉 Get the step-by-step MTD registration guide (£15): https://payhip.com/b/sPYrq
And if you use it, let me know how you got on. I’d really value the feedback.
Business owner? https://daevolution.co.uk/for-business-owners
Landlord? https://daevolution.co.uk/for-landlords
Digital Accounting Evolution®, get ahead of it, don’t get caught by it.
This guide provides a step-by-step process for signing up for Making Tax Digital(MTD) for Income Tax, ensuring you stay compliant with the latest tax regulations. Itsimplifies the registration process, making it accessible even for those unfamiliar w...
