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UK Reaffirms April 2026 Start for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

Ministers justify the timetable by citing VAT gains plus a £1.95bn forecast.

Overview

  • A formal Treasury/HMRC reply to a Parliamentary petition confirms no plans to delay the rollout.
  • The petition to stop quarterly digital reporting has about 16,800 signatures, below the 100,000 needed for a Commons debate.
  • From 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates using compatible software.
  • The rules extend to those above £30,000 in April 2027 and above £20,000 in April 2028, with roughly 780,000 people in the first cohort.
  • Officials cite VAT results and project £1.95bn in additional tax by 2029–30, while promoting free or low-cost software, a live testing programme, and outreach; the quarterly updates are positioned as simple summaries rather than full tax returns.