{"id":30243,"date":"2026-07-30T16:09:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T15:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=30243"},"modified":"2026-08-03T09:39:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:39:11","slug":"mtd-income-tax-recognised-ready-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-recognised-ready-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your software MTD-ready\u2014and are you? Here\u2019s how to find out"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIs your software MTD-ready\u2014and are you? Here\u2019s how to find out\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWorried your accounting isn\u2019t fully MTD capable? Learn how to check it does the full job, including with HMRC&#8217;s recognition\u2014so you can handle MTD with confidence.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-30T16:09:16+01:00\">30 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Is your software MTD-ready\u2014and are you? Here\u2019s how to find out\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-recognised-ready-software\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair.jpg 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is now live, and the question from many sole traders is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Will my software actually do the job when it matters?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Right now, you should be keeping your income and expenditure digitally. That\u2019s the fundamental MTD rule. But the first quarterly deadline is approaching on 7 August \u2014 see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-crash-course\/\">the full first-year MTD timeline<\/a> if you want the bigger picture. You don\u2019t want to get to that date and find your accounting software can\u2019t handle it.<\/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\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>&#8220;HMRC-recognised&#8221; only means software passed a technical test<\/strong> \u2014 it doesn&#8217;t mean the software covers everything you need, or that HMRC endorses it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Genuinely &#8220;MTD-ready&#8221; software must cover both quarterly updates and the digital tax return<\/strong> for your specific income type (self-employment, property, or both).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax are entirely separate systems<\/strong> \u2014 software compatible with one isn&#8217;t automatically compatible with the other.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You can switch software mid-year without losing past submissions<\/strong> \u2014 HMRC keeps your quarterly update history regardless of which tool sent it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spreadsheets are still allowed<\/strong>, but only with recognised bridging software providing a digital link to HMRC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what this article covers, so you can be confident that you\u2014and your software\u2014are genuinely ready for MTD for Income Tax:<\/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-does-mtd-recognised-actually-mean\" data-level=\"2\">What does &ldquo;MTD-recognised&rdquo; actually mean?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-is-your-software-mtd-ready-here-s-a-checklist-to-find-out\" data-level=\"2\">Is your software MTD-ready? Here&rsquo;s a checklist to find out<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-which-mtd-terms-trip-people-up-and-what-do-they-really-mean\" data-level=\"2\">Which MTD terms trip people up&mdash;and what do they really mean?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-do-i-know-if-my-software-is-genuinely-mtd-ready\" data-level=\"2\">How do I know if my software is genuinely MTD-ready?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-if-my-software-can-t-do-the-whole-job\" data-level=\"2\">What if my software can&rsquo;t do the whole job?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-does-mtd-recognised-actually-mean\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \u201cMTD-recognised\u201d actually mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMTD-recognised\u201d has a specific technical meaning: it\u2019s software that appears on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/find-software-that-works-with-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\">HMRC\u2019s recognised list<\/a> of software that, to quote HMRC, \u201cworks with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For reference, Sage is included on the HMRC MTD-recognised list, as you might expect. This includes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/sole-trader\/\">Sage Sole Trader Free<\/a>, which is available for no cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Software earns its place on HMRC\u2019s recognised list by passing technical tests that confirm it can connect to HMRC\u2019s systems, and also has features required for MTD submissions and digital record keeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s genuinely reassuring, but Chris Downing, a former accountant and Director of Accountants and Bookkeepers at Sage, urges caution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cSaying an app is \u2018HMRC-recognised&#8217; is a good starting point\u2014but it isn\u2019t a gold star. It\u2019s a tick-box. It means the software can do the bare minimum for parts of MTD. Not necessarily all of it!<br>The endorsement most people picture simply doesn\u2019t exist. The fact is that choosing the right software for your situation requires a bit of thought.<br>And then there\u2019s lots of software vendors making unclear claims such as having software that\u2019s &#8216;designed&#8217; for MTD. This could cause havoc at deadline crunch times unless you inspect the app&#8217;s function list thoroughly.\u201d<\/p><cite>Chris Downing<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-is-your-software-mtd-ready-here-s-a-checklist-to-find-out\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is your software MTD-ready? Here\u2019s a checklist to find out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s a checklist you can test your current MTD solution against:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Does the accounting software let you activate dedicated MTD functionality?<\/strong> Be careful here that what you read isn\u2019t referring to the older MTD for VAT. That\u2019s certainly important if you\u2019ve VAT registered\u2014but MTD for Income Tax is entirely separate, and requires new, updated software features.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does it let you keep income and expenses as digital records <\/strong>in a way that\u2019s legally compliant with MTD for Income Tax? The minimum data that needs to be recorded is amount, date, and the tax category, as defined by HMRC for MTD for Income Tax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Can you submit MTD quarterly updates?<\/strong> Again, take care that the software isn\u2019t limited to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/making-tax-digital-checklist\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/making-tax-digital-checklist\/\"> MTD for VAT quarterly returns<\/a>. MTD for Income Tax is not related to those at all.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Can you submit an MTD digital tax return? <\/strong>Take care that the software isn\u2019t limited to just MTD for Income Tax quarterly submissions or, even worse, to just digitally submitting Self Assessment tax returns. The latter is a totally different way of submitting your tax return and it no longer applies if you\u2019re using MTD for Income Tax (outside of your final Self Assessment return, covering 2025\/26, that you\u2019ll need to submit by 31 January 2027.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does the software support landlord income as well as sole trader income?<\/strong> There are two types of tax payers in scope for MTD for Income Tax: sole traders, such as tradespeople or freelancers, and private landlords. You need to ensure the software supports your type of income.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-mtd-terms-trip-people-up-and-what-do-they-really-mean\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which MTD terms trip people up\u2014and what do they really mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A handful of similar-sounding terms cause most of the confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chris Downing adds: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Most people pick MTD software by looking at where they need to start. My advice: Pick it by where you finish, with your digital tax return.<br>&#8220;If a tool can&#8217;t create your digital tax return, it doesn&#8217;t matter how beautifully it handles everything before it. There are a surprising number of &#8216;MTD-recognised&#8217; apps that can only do part of the job.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s each type of software described in plain English, so you can choose your software with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Self Assessment software<\/strong>: This is a tricky one that catches out many people. MTD for Income Tax is a different way of doing your income taxes compared to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/self-assessment\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/self-assessment\/\">Self Assessment<\/a>. Any accounting software compatible with Self Assessment will not necessarily be compatible with MTD. This is because the rules of how you tell HMRC about your income and expenses are very different. Desktop accounting software in particular can have this issue, because it\u2019s more difficult to update compared to cloud accounting software, where updates are distributed automatically over the internet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MTD software<\/strong>: This is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/making-tax-digital\/\">accounting software<\/a> that\u2019s been updated to be compatible with MTD. But be careful because there are two types of MTD: MTD for VAT, and MTD for Income Tax. MTD for VAT has been around since 2019, while MTD for Income Tax started in April 2026. So, to be compatible with MTD for Income Tax, the software will probably have been specifically updated in the last year or so. Crucial fact: MTD for VAT and MTD for Income Tax are totally different systems, with no crossover whatsoever. An app compatible with MTD for VAT will not necessarily be compatible with MTD for Income Tax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MTD bridging software: <\/strong>This is a small bit of software whose sole purpose is to securely link to HMRC\u2019s systems for MTD submissions. Usually this is to enable third-party software to become MTD compatible, such as older accounting apps, or spreadsheet applications. Some bridging software handles just the quarterly updates, while some other software can handle digital tax returns, too. Yes, it\u2019s confusing. In any event, MTD bridging software is effectively a stop-gap measure. Spreadsheets aren\u2019t banned under MTD and the value of bridging is to let them be compliant. However, switching to full MTD-recognised accounting software is the real long-term solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quarterly submission software<\/strong>: This is another type of bridging software, in that it aims to help you submit quarterly updates from older software, or from spreadsheets. Crucially, quarterly submission software only helps with one part of MTD for Income Tax\u2019s requirements. It doesn\u2019t let you submit your final digital tax return. So, if you\u2019re using this kind of software then you are definitely not \u201cMTD ready\u201d!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bookkeeping software<\/strong>: Bookkeeping is the day-to-day process of logging your income and expenditure. As such, it\u2019s not guaranteed that any dedicated bookkeeping software will be MTD-compatible, because outside of keeping records digitally, it has no need to be. Indeed, some bookkeeping software expects you to output all the data in order to make MTD submissions via dedicated accounting apps. Again, check with the software vendor to see if your bookkeeping software is MTD-ready.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>End-of-year filing software<\/strong>: You may see this type of software mentioned and, really, it\u2019s usually for accountants to take care of filing all kinds of tax returns for their clients. So, it\u2019s not software you should be looking out for, and not software you need. Some tax specialists use the term to describe accounting software generally, such as Sage Accounting. But that kind of language is prone to causing confusion, especially in this era of MTD requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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-how-do-i-know-if-my-software-is-genuinely-mtd-ready\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I know if my software is genuinely MTD-ready?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check it against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/find-software-that-works-with-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HMRC\u2019s recognised software list on GOV.UK<\/a>, then confirm it covers both quarterly updates and the digital tax return for your type of income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it does both, you\u2019re set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recognised list is searchable and lets you filter by what each product can actually do, which is your safety net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some products support only certain income types\u2014self-employment, UK property, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Run through a quick five-point check:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is it on the recognised list?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it cover both quarterly updates and the digital tax return?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it support your income types?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will it keep your digital records for you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will it also handle sources of income you need to declare such as pensions, savings interest, dividends, and so forth (including from non-UK sources)? You need to tell HMRC about these on your digital tax return (but not your quarterly updates).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-if-my-software-can-t-do-the-whole-job\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if my software can\u2019t do the whole job?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can switch MTD software at any point in the tax year, and you won\u2019t lose the submissions you\u2019ve already made with HMRC. If you find your product only handles part of the process, your earlier quarterly updates stay on HMRC\u2019s record regardless of which tool sent them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Updates are also cumulative, so it\u2019s possible to fix with your current update any errors that have arisen since you submitted the previous ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, if you must switch, ensure you securely keep the accounting data from the old software because HMRC\u2019s rules require you to do so for up to five years after the end of the tax year. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chris Downing adds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cThe simplest MTD setup is a single tool, end to end. Quarterly updates and your digital tax return in one place\u2014like with Sage\u2014means nothing to stitch together and nothing to fall through the cracks.<br>&#8220;Do this and the whole MTD for Income Tax process just quietly works, with no risk of the ball being dropped between bits of software, or apps that simply aren&#8217;t MTD-ready for the full journey.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spotting a gap in your software early is genuinely a good thing, because it gives you time to fix it calmly before the deadlines arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You simply re-enter your year-to-date figures in the new software, plus digital records so far for your quarter, and carry on. There\u2019s no need to resubmit past quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The smoothest route of all is to start with software built to handle the full MTD journey end to end, like Sage\u2019s, so your quarterly updates and digital tax return all live in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose once, confirm it covers your income types, and the rest becomes routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-final-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hopefully by the end of this article you know enough to find software that\u2019s truly \u201cMTD-ready\u201d for your situation\u2014and understand what it means for software to be HMRC-recognised, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But are you MTD-ready? Are you recording your income and expenditure digitally? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the only way to ensure that, when you get to the quarterly reporting deadline, you\u2019ll be ready\u2014and submitting the quarterly update will be just a matter of reviewing what the accounting software reports, and tapping a button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785424752062\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does \u201cHMRC-recognised\u201d mean HMRC recommends the software?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No\u2014it means the software has passed HMRC&#8217;s technical tests, not that HMRC rates or endorses it. Recognition confirms a product can connect to HMRC&#8217;s systems and\u00a0submit\u00a0the right data. It says nothing about price, ease of use, or whether it suits a sole trader or landlord specifically. Treat the list as the starting point for your own comparison, not a ranking of the best products.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785424913837\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is HMRC&#8217;s \u201ccommercial\u00a0Self Assessment\u201d list the same as the MTD list?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No\u2014and this is a common, costly mix-up. HMRC publishes a separate list of commercial\u00a0Self Assessment\u00a0software that is not necessarily compatible with MTD for Income Tax. Some people pick a product from the wrong list and assume\u00a0they&#8217;re\u00a0sorted, only to find out at filing time that they\u00a0aren&#8217;t. Always confirm\u00a0you&#8217;re\u00a0choosing from HMRC&#8217;s MTD for Income Tax-recognised list specifically.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785424926796\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I keep using spreadsheets under MTD?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes\u2014spreadsheets are still allowed,\u00a0as long as\u00a0you connect them to HMRC using recognised bridging software. MTD\u00a0didn&#8217;t\u00a0kill the spreadsheet. It just added a requirement for a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-an-mtd-digital-link\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">digital link<\/a>\u00a0between your figures and HMRC.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785424943228\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Will I be fined while\u00a0I&#8217;m\u00a0getting used to the new MTD system?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">There&#8217;s\u00a0some breathing room, but not a free pass. HMRC is taking a lighter-touch approach to late quarterly updates for people newly brought into MTD, but penalties for a late digital tax return still apply from the outset. The safest approach is to treat every deadline as real and choose software that nudges you in\u00a0good time.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785424952819\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does my software need to cover both self-employment and rental income?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, if you have both\u2014but not every product handles both types of income. MTD treats self-employment and UK property as separate sources, and some software supports only one of them. If\u00a0you&#8217;re\u00a0a sole trader who also lets out\u00a0a property, check that your chosen tool handles both income types,\u00a0or\u00a0be prepared to run a recognised product for each. Confirming this up front saves a scramble later.\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<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\/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<\/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-10151 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-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-1166663659-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1166663659-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1166663659-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1166663659-1440x810.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=\"2026-07-31T10:48:56+01:00\">31 July, 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\">7 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\/mtd-for-vat-business-tame-tax\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital: how MTD for VAT helps your business tame tax\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\tTax can be time-consuming for small businesses. Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT helps you keep digital records, use compatible software, and submit VAT Returns to HMRC more efficiently.\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-10038 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-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-income-tax-needs-to-know\/\"\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\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Checking products to sell to customers\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-1215x810.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=\"2026-07-31T10:20:19+01:00\">31 July, 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\t6 things you need to know about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax\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-10211 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-tax tag-accountants-online-hub-gb tag-business-finances tag-mtd-accountants tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-making-tax-digital-for-vat tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/hmrc-penalty-making-tax-digital\/\"\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-1267191201_updated-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-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-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=\"2026-07-31T09:06:37+01:00\">31 July, 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\">8 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\tMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax penalties: HMRC&#8217;s new systems explained\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-10209 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat 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-for-vat-questions-answered\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media card-post__media--video\">\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-1282134863-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Man working on laptop at desk and looking at business priorities\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__play-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"card-post__play-icon svg-icon\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 33 36\"><path d=\"M3.947.936C1.889 1.016 0 2.661 0 4.878v27.11c0 2.956 3.36 4.896 5.999 3.463l24.965-13.555c2.715-1.474 2.715-5.451 0-6.925L6 1.416a3.96 3.96 0 0 0-2.052-.48Zm.032 2.6c.232-.001.475.058.713.187L29.66 17.28c.986.535.986 1.774 0 2.309L4.692 33.144c-.952.517-1.999-.088-1.999-1.155V4.878c0-.533.261-.95.642-1.17.19-.11.411-.171.644-.172\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\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<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M5.25 3C3.74 3 2.5 4.24 2.5 5.75v12.5C2.5 19.76 3.74 21 5.25 21h14c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75V5.75C22 4.24 20.76 3 19.25 3zm0 1.5h14c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v12.5a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25h-14A1.24 1.24 0 0 1 4 18.25V5.75c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25m.25.75a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8.25 2.751A1.248 1.248 0 0 0 9 9.251v5.5c0 .442.231.849.613 1.074.389.231.846.237 1.239.021l5.001-2.751c.396-.219.646-.639.646-1.094s-.25-.876-.646-1.095l-.001-.001-5.002-2.751a1.25 1.25 0 0 0-.601-.153zM5.5 8.25a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8 1.423L14.731 12 10.5 14.328zm-5 1.577a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5z\" \/><\/svg>\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=\"2026-07-30T16:58:15+01:00\">30 July, 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\">11 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\tMaking Tax Digital for VAT: 19 key questions answered\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\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-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\"\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-for-income-tax-what-it-means-for-trades-and-skilled-workers\/\"\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-585283345-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-585283345-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-585283345-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-585283345-1440x810.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=\"2026-07-30T16:24:46+01:00\">30 July, 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\tMTD for Income Tax: what it means for trades and skilled workers\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>Worried your accounting isn\u2019t fully MTD capable? Learn how to check it does the full job, including with HMRC&#8217;s recognition\u2014so you can handle MTD with confidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":30244,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"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":[9],"tags":[30,343],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,75],"imagine_tag":[142,334,170,727],"coauthors":[369],"class_list":["post-30243","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"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/05\/AdobeStock_414034976.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\/30243","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\/280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30243"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31596,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30243\/revisions\/31596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/30244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=30243"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=30243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}