{"id":25955,"date":"2026-07-30T16:24:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T15:24:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=25955"},"modified":"2026-08-03T09:38:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:38:08","slug":"mtd-for-income-tax-what-it-means-for-trades-and-skilled-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-income-tax-what-it-means-for-trades-and-skilled-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"MTD for Income Tax: what it means for trades and skilled workers\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MTD for Income Tax requirements have arrived for many tradespeople and landlords.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article explains what MTD means for you, who needs to follow the rules, how digital record keeping works, and how to prepare without&nbsp;losing&nbsp;time on admin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-container is-constrained is-style-jade\"><div class=\"sage-container__inner\">\n<h3 id=\"h-key-takeaways-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MTD for Income Tax is a legal requirement from HMRC for affected sole traders and private landlords to keep digital records and send income and expense updates using compatible software.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The start date depends on your qualifying gross income: over \u00a350,000 from 6 April 2026, over \u00a330,000 from 6 April 2027, and over \u00a320,000 from 6 April 2028.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MTD for Income Tax applies to self-employment income and property income. It does not replace every part of the tax system, and it is separate from MTD for VAT.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you have more than one trade or property income stream, you may need to keep records and send quarterly updates for each relevant income source.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Getting ready now can make quarterly updates easier and give you a clearer view of cash flow, expenses, and&nbsp;likely tax&nbsp;bills.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-mtd-for-income-tax\" data-level=\"2\">What is MTD for Income Tax?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-when-does-mtd-for-income-tax-start\" data-level=\"2\">When does MTD for Income Tax start?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-who-does-mtd-for-income-tax-apply-to\" data-level=\"2\">Who does MTD for Income Tax apply to?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-can-you-opt-out-of-mtd-for-income-tax\" data-level=\"2\">Can you opt out of MTD for Income Tax?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-can-mtd-for-income-tax-help-tradespeople\" data-level=\"2\">How can MTD for Income Tax help tradespeople?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-is-mtd-for-income-tax-different-from-mtd-for-vat\" data-level=\"2\">How is MTD for Income Tax different from MTD for VAT?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-if-you-have-more-than-one-business-or-property-income-stream\" data-level=\"2\">What if you have more than one business or property income stream?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-get-ready-for-mtd-for-income-tax\" data-level=\"2\">How to get ready for MTD for Income Tax<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-this-means-for-your-business\" data-level=\"2\">What this means for your business<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-should-you-use-an-accountant-or-bookkeeper-for-mtd-for-income-tax\" data-level=\"2\">Should you use an accountant or bookkeeper for MTD for Income Tax?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-common-mtd-for-income-tax-mistakes-to-avoid\" data-level=\"2\">Common MTD for Income Tax mistakes to avoid<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts-mtd-can-reduce-year-end-pressure\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts: MTD can reduce year-end pressure<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-on-mtd-for-income-tax\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions on&nbsp;MTD for Income Tax<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">MTD: Your business survival guide<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-d74b8314-e3b1-4385-9b30-51a7de0ca091\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get MTD for Income Tax: The business survival guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A business woman successfully navigating MTD for Income Tax\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-mtd-for-income-tax\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is MTD for Income Tax?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Making Tax Digital<\/a>&nbsp;(MTD) for Income Tax is an HMRC system that requires affected&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-income-tax-sole-traders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sole traders<\/a>&nbsp;and private landlords to keep digital financial records and send regular income and expense updates through MTD-compatible accounting software.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For tradespeople, this can include builders, carpenters, plasterers, plumbers, construction workers, and other skilled workers who run a self-employed business.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can also apply if you earn property income as a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/landlords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">private landlord<\/a>, including from property abroad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is to move Income Tax record keeping and reporting away from paper records and once-a-year admin.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, your records are kept digitally, your updates are&nbsp;submitted&nbsp;at least every three months, and your annual digital tax return&nbsp;finalises&nbsp;your tax liabilities by 31 January.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep Income Tax-related income and expense records digitally using MTD-compatible software.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Send quarterly updates about your income and expenses to HMRC through the software.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Send an annual digital tax return through the software to&nbsp;finalise&nbsp;your tax position.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-when-does-mtd-for-income-tax-start-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When does MTD for Income Tax start?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your mandatory start date depends on your qualifying gross income.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The higher your qualifying income, the earlier you are brought into the rules.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Qualifying gross income<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>MTD for Income Tax start date<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>What this means<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Over \u00a350,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>6 April 2026&nbsp;<\/td><td>You need to follow the MTD rules from the 2026\/27 tax year.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Over \u00a330,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>6 April 2027&nbsp;<\/td><td>You need to follow the MTD rules from the 2027\/28 tax year.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Over \u00a320,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>6 April 2028&nbsp;<\/td><td>You need to follow the MTD rules from the 2028\/29 tax year.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/why-has-hmrc-written-to-me-about-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HMRC should contact you<\/a>&nbsp;if you need to follow the rules, but it is still worth checking your position yourself or through your accountant or bookkeeper.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-who-does-mtd-for-income-tax-apply-to\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who does MTD for Income Tax apply to?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD for Income Tax applies to earnings and expenses from self-employment and property income.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For tradespeople, this means the fees you charge for your work, the expenses linked to that work, and any relevant property income if you are also a landlord.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>MTD for Income Tax applies to<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>MTD for Income Tax does not directly apply to<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Self-employment income from a trade or skilled work&nbsp;<\/td><td>Profits or dividend income from an incorporated company&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Relevant business expenses linked to self-employment&nbsp;<\/td><td>PAYE on salaries for company employees&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>UK property income&nbsp;<\/td><td>Pensions, savings income, and interest, although these may still need to be reported on your digital tax return&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Overseas property income&nbsp;<\/td><td>Chargeable gains, although these can be reported on your digital tax return&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your income is above the relevant threshold and HMRC contacts you to say you need to follow MTD rules, the switch is not voluntary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You cannot opt out unless you qualify for a specific exclusion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-can-you-opt-out-of-mtd-for-income-tax-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can you opt out of MTD for Income Tax?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some people can apply for an exclusion from MTD for Income Tax, but only where taking part is not possible for specific reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples include disability, remoteness of location where an internet connection is not available, or religious beliefs that prevent the use of the necessary technology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are already excluded from MTD for VAT for one of these reasons and nothing has changed, that exclusion should be carried across to MTD for Income Tax.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is still sensible to check this with HMRC.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-can-mtd-for-income-tax-help-tradespeople-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How can MTD for Income Tax help tradespeople?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD will be&nbsp;a big change&nbsp;if you are used to keeping paper receipts, invoice books, or annual records for&nbsp;Self-Assessment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But it can also give you more regular, reliable information about your money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For busy tradespeople and landlords, the most practical benefits come from recording income and expenses as they happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can make it easier to see how much each job is costing, what customers still owe you, and how much tax you are likely to owe before January arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-digital-invoicing-and-payments-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Digital invoicing and payments&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD-ready accounting software can help you issue invoices electronically while you are still on site.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can include payment options on invoices, record payments digitally, and use bank feeds and automated rules to reduce manual reconciliation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-receipt-capture-and-expenses-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Receipt capture and expenses&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mobile accounting apps and data capture tools can let you photograph receipts and bills, then transfer the information into your accounting records.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reduces the risk of losing receipts and can make expenses easier to review each quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-cash-flow-and-job-visibility-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cash flow and job visibility&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Digital records can make it easier to&nbsp;monitor&nbsp;unpaid invoices, supplier costs, mileage, materials, and profit by job.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your software gives regular tax estimates, you can make decisions earlier about spending on tools, vehicles, or other business costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-is-mtd-for-income-tax-different-from-mtd-for-vat-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How is MTD for Income Tax different from MTD for VAT?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD for Income Tax and MTD for VAT are separate systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are VAT registered, you may already be using MTD-compatible software for VAT Returns, but you must still register separately for MTD for Income Tax and follow its own rules.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MTD for VAT is used for VAT records and VAT Returns.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MTD for Income Tax is used for self-employment and property income records, quarterly updates, and the annual digital tax return.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Penalty points and penalties work in&nbsp;a similar way, but the VAT and Income Tax systems are not linked.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You may need to manage both VAT Returns and MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates if both sets of rules apply to you.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your VAT Return dates do not line up with your MTD for Income Tax update dates, you can speak to HMRC about whether your VAT stagger can be adjusted.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also apply to HMRC to move your MTD for Income Tax quarters to calendar months if that would make your records easier to manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-if-you-have-more-than-one-business-or-property-income-stream-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What if you have more than one business or property income stream?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have more than one trade, or a mixture of trade and property income, MTD may&nbsp;require&nbsp;more than one quarterly update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to keep each income source clear in your&nbsp;records&nbsp;so the right information is&nbsp;submitted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Income source<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Quarterly update requirement<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Each self-employed trade&nbsp;<\/td><td>A separate quarterly update for each trade&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>UK property income&nbsp;<\/td><td>One quarterly update for all UK property income&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Overseas property income&nbsp;<\/td><td>One quarterly update for overseas property income&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Annual digital tax return&nbsp;<\/td><td>One digital tax return by 31 January, bringing together all sources of income&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you run a decorating business, a separate plastering business, and have buy-to-let property income, you would need to keep those records clearly separated and&nbsp;submit&nbsp;the relevant quarterly updates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You do not need to submit an individual quarterly update for each property.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One update is enough for all UK property income, and one for overseas property income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-get-ready-for-mtd-for-income-tax-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to get ready for MTD for Income Tax&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The earlier you get&nbsp;organised, the easier it should be to choose software, set up your records, and build MTD into your normal working routine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check whether you need to use MTD for Income Tax. HMRC should contact you if you are affected, but letters and emails can be missed.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Decide how you want to manage MTD. You might handle everything yourself, keep your own&nbsp;records&nbsp;and ask an adviser to&nbsp;submit&nbsp;updates, or ask an accountant or bookkeeper to manage the process.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Register for MTD with&nbsp;HMRC, or&nbsp;ask your adviser to do this for you.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose MTD-compatible accounting software that suits your budget, confidence level, and business needs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open a separate business bank account if you do not already have one. This can make payments, receipts, and bank feeds easier to manage.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/5-reasons-to-start-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax-early\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start using the software before your mandatory start date<\/a>&nbsp;if you can. This gives you time to practice capturing invoices, receipts, and bank feed data.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-this-means-for-your-business\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What this means for your business<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You may need to change how you record income and expenses each week, not just at&nbsp;year&nbsp;end.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paper-only systems are less likely to give you the records and digital trail you need for MTD.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your accountant or bookkeeper may need more regular information from you than before.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you get your software and banking set up early, quarterly updates should be easier to manage.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-should-you-use-an-accountant-or-bookkeeper-for-mtd-for-income-tax-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Should you use an accountant or bookkeeper for MTD for Income Tax?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you already work with an accountant or bookkeeper, MTD does not mean that relationship&nbsp;has to&nbsp;change.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What may change is the timing and frequency of the work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of handing over paperwork once a year, you may need to share information more&nbsp;regularly&nbsp;so your records are ready for quarterly updates and your annual digital tax return.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Digitise&nbsp;records at least quarterly, including receipts, invoices, supplier statements, and bank statements.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create and&nbsp;submit&nbsp;quarterly updates using your digital records.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prepare your annual digital tax return for you to review and approve.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help you review tax planning, cash flow, affordability, and regulatory changes that affect your trade.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-common-mtd-for-income-tax-mistakes-to-avoid-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Common MTD for Income Tax mistakes to avoid&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assuming MTD for VAT automatically covers MTD for Income Tax. It does not\u2014you need to register and follow the Income Tax rules separately.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Waiting for HMRC to contact you before checking your own position.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keeping paper records and planning to&nbsp;digitise&nbsp;them later, instead of recording income and expenses digitally from the start.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mixing personal and business bank transactions, which can&nbsp;make bank&nbsp;feeds and&nbsp;record keeping&nbsp;harder to manage.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Forgetting that separate trades may need separate quarterly updates.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leaving the software setup until the first quarterly update is due.&nbsp;can manage your budget accordingly, then it can automatically generate quarterly updates based on your records.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-final-thoughts-mtd-can-reduce-year-end-pressure-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final thoughts: MTD can reduce year-end pressure&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD for Income Tax is a major change if you are used to paper records or year-end bookkeeping.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But it can also help you build a more regular rhythm for recording income, tracking expenses, and understanding your cash flow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best next step is to check whether the rules apply to you, choose software that fits your trade, and speak to your accountant or bookkeeper if you need support.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once your digital records are in place,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-life-easier-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MTD should become part of your normal business admin<\/a>&nbsp;rather than a last-minute January task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-on-nbsp-mtd-for-income-tax\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently asked questions on&nbsp;MTD for Income Tax<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422361454\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What does MTD for Income Tax mean for tradespeople?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It means affected self-employed tradespeople need to keep digital records of their business income and expenses, send quarterly updates to HMRC through compatible software, and\u00a0submit\u00a0an annual digital tax return.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422370308\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Does MTD for Income Tax replace\u00a0Self Assessment?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">For those affected, MTD changes how Income Tax information is recorded and\u00a0submitted.\u00a0\u00a0<br>Your annual digital tax return\u00a0finalises\u00a0your tax position and has the same 31 January deadline.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422381861\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can I still use paper receipts under MTD?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You can still receive paper receipts, but you need to keep the relevant financial record digitally.\u00a0\u00a0<br>Many accounting apps let you photograph receipts and store the details in your software.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422395572\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Do I need MTD for Income Tax if I am already using MTD for VAT?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Not automatically.\u00a0\u00a0<br>MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax are separate systems, so you need to register for MTD for Income Tax separately if the rules apply to you.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422403812\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What happens if I have more than one trade?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You need to keep records for each trade and\u00a0submit\u00a0a separate quarterly update for each one.\u00a0\u00a0<br>UK property income and overseas property income are treated separately.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422415892\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can my accountant or bookkeeper manage MTD for me?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes.\u00a0An accountant or bookkeeper can help you digitise records, prepare quarterly updates, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/making-tax-digital-accountants-prepare-landlord-clients\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support your annual digital tax return<\/a>, depending on the service you agree with them.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785422426396\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How soon should I prepare for\u00a0MTD\u00a0for\u00a0Income\u00a0Tax?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You should prepare before your mandatory start date so you can choose software, connect bank feeds,\u00a0practice\u00a0recording income and expenses, and avoid rushing your first quarterly update.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">MTD: Your business survival guide<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Your real world guide to using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax in April 2026, April 2027 or April 2028. For sole traders, landlords, freelancers, side-hustlers\u2014and more.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-d74b8314-e3b1-4385-9b30-51a7de0ca091\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get MTD for Income Tax: The business survival guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A business woman successfully navigating MTD for Income Tax\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"NC-Skyword-CID\" data-skyword_id=\"281474980481027\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/bookkeeping\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBookkeeping\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/mtd-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/tax\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTax\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-31973 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-making-tax-digital-for-vat tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-642394299-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Staying on top of business changes\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-642394299-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-642394299-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-642394299-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-17T09:48:05+01:00\">17 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/vat-calculator\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tVAT Calculator: use now to add &amp; remove VAT\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tCalculate VAT quickly and accurately with our free VAT calculator (estimator). Whether you&#8217;re adding VAT to a price or working out the VAT amount included in a total, this tool helps you make the calculation in seconds. It&#8217;s ideal for businesses, sole traders and anyone who needs a simple way to manage VAT calculations.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-30636 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-update\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Man at a desk working through papers on a computer\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-08T09:00:00+01:00\">8 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">19 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMTD quarterly updates: Everything you need to know\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-31395 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-updates-supercharge-your-business\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A small business person working on MTD\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-08T09:00:00+01:00\">8 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow MTD quarterly updates can supercharge your business. Yes, really.\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-31363 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-updates-listicle\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1207391933-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1207391933-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1207391933-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1207391933-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-08T09:00:00+01:00\">8 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\t10 tips and tricks for your MTD quarterly update\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-10168 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-business-support business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/accounting-for-startups-entrepreneurs\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/11\/200122_Sage_BridgeHousing3578-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/11\/200122_Sage_BridgeHousing3578-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/11\/200122_Sage_BridgeHousing3578-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/11\/200122_Sage_BridgeHousing3578-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-07T15:59:41+01:00\">7 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tStartup accounting: A practical guide for entrepreneurs\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is changing how tradespeople and skilled workers manage their taxes. Learn who it affects, what you need to do, and how to prepare with confidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":699,"featured_media":11365,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"6","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[23,30,343,27],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[55],"persona":[73,75],"imagine_tag":[142,334,170,727],"coauthors":[352],"class_list":["post-25955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-bookkeeping","tag-mtd-business","tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax","tag-tax","business_type-small-business","industry-construction"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Tim Cooper","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-585283345.jpg","imagine_tags":{"142":"Making Tax Digital for businesses","334":"Making tax digital for income tax","170":"Self Assessment","727":"Self Assessment and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25955"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31595,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25955\/revisions\/31595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/11365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=25955"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}