A massive change is taking place for more than 750,000 workers and businesses who pay income tax. In just six months, self-employed workers and landlords with an income that exceeds £50,000 will have to adopt Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. It means that as of April 6, 2026, people must maintain digital records on their income that are submitted to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The change has sparked opposition which claims – and a campaign on the Parliament website has seen a petition gain more than 16,000 signatures. When it passed 10,000 it was due a response from the Treasury – and this afternoon officials replied.
The petition, created by Saira Khan said: “Stop HMRC implementing making tax digital and enforcing quarterly submissions
“HMRC is pushing ahead with Making Tax Digital: a scheme that requires all business to maintain digital accounts. Currently many small businesses use paper accounting records or spreadsheets. Small businesses may lack the skills, time and funding to maintain digital accounts.”
The government has branded the new system the “biggest change since HMRC launched Self Assessment 30 years ago” and officials say it is “rewiring the way you do income tax”. It claims that this aims to “spread the admin” throughout the year with split quarterly updates instead of filling out a tax return all at once.
In response to the concerns raised the Treasury today said: “Making Tax Digital will help businesses stay on top of their affairs, boost productivity and ensure more of the right tax is paid. The Government will support users and has no plans to delay.
“The Government is working with taxpayers, agents and software developers to ensure the introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from April 2026 is a success. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is a new approach that uses modern technology to helps customers stay on top of their tax affairs and avoid errors.
“It will build on successful introduction of Making Tax Digital for VAT which applies to over 2m VAT-registered businesses. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax requires sole traders and landlords to use software to keep digital records and send simple quarterly updates to HMRC. These quarterly updates are not tax returns. They aim to be simple and quick to complete, with software automatically drawing data from digital records.
“From 6 April 2026, sole traders andlandlords with a qualifying income over £50,000 must use it, where their qualifying income is their total annual income before the deduction of expenses or tax from self-employment and property. HMRC are introducing Making Tax Digital for Income Tax in phases, meaning that smaller businesses with qualifying income above £30,000 will be required to use the service from April 2027, with those above £20,000 brought in in April 2028.
It said the government ‘is committed‘ to supporting workers and businesses through the transition. It added: “It has worked with the software industry to ensure there is free and low-cost software available to support smaller and simpler businesses. HMRC is also taking comprehensive steps to raise awareness by writing to affected taxpayers and agents, engaging widely with industry and tax bodies and launching a marketing campaign through social media and radio.”
The gov.uk website states that the following people will need to follow the new system if one or all of the following applies:
- Are an individual registered for self-assessment
- Get income from self-employment or property, or both
- Have a qualifying income of more than £20,000
HMRC has made it clear that this process will not mean people who currently do their own taxes will need to complete additional tax returns. The idea is that instead, you’ll be sharing your income and expenses on a quarterly basis instead of all at once.
It means that as of April 6, 2026, people must maintain digital records on their income that are submitted to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
In a post on X, HMRC wrote: “There’s just 6 months to go until Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. From April 2026 there will be a new way to report income from self-employment and property to us. Check if you need to sign up for the next tax year.”
“If you spot an error, you can fix it in the next update. More than 2,000 updates have been successfully submitted in the testing programme, and the feedback from those involved has been encouragingly positive.”
To view the response and for the option to sign up to the petition, click here.