Making Tax Digital checker
MTD for Income Tax started in April 2026 for incomes over £50,000. Two numbers tell you when it reaches you.
How do you trade?
Common situations
Thresholds: over £50,000 joins 6 April 2026, over £30,000 joins 6 April 2027, over £20,000 joins 6 April 2028.
HMRC checks your 2024/25 return for the April 2026 start, 2025/26 for April 2027 and 2026/27 for April 2028.
Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored.
£40,000 of qualifying income: self-employment plus property, before expenses.
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Your MTD statusHelloNoa
Mandated from 6 April 2027
£40,000 qualifying income
Qualifying income of £40,000 is over £30,000, so you join in the second wave. HMRC assesses the Self Assessment return you file for 2025/26. Start keeping digital records now and the switch is a non-event.
HelloNoa won't file for you. It keeps invoices, payments and expenses in order, so your MTD software gets clean numbers.
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How this is worked out
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to sole traders and landlords from 6 April 2026 where combined self-employment and property income is over £50,000, dropping to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. The test is total income, not profit.
Sources
Rules last checked 30 October 2026. Rates and thresholds change; this is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Indicative only, based on the currently announced phases; not tax advice. Read the full guides: Making Tax Digital for UK freelancers and your first quarterly update.
Qualifying income
Self-employment£40,000
Property+ £0
Total£40,000
When MTD reaches you
Over £50,000From 6 April 2026
Over £30,000From 6 April 2027
Over £20,000From 6 April 2028
At or under £20,000Not mandated yet
FAQs
Honest answers.
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What income counts towards the MTD threshold?
Your qualifying income: gross self-employment turnover plus gross property income, before any expenses, as reported on your Self Assessment return. It is not your profit.
When does Making Tax Digital start for sole traders?
In phases by income: over £50,000 from 6 April 2026, over £30,000 from 6 April 2027, and over £20,000 from 6 April 2028. HMRC checks your Self Assessment return for 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 respectively.
Does MTD apply to limited companies?
No. MTD for Income Tax covers sole traders and landlords. Limited companies file a Company Tax Return and are outside these thresholds.
What do I actually have to do under MTD?
Keep digital records in MTD-compatible software, send HMRC a quarterly update of income and expenses, and file a final declaration after year end instead of the old Self Assessment return.
More questions? See all FAQs or email us.
Keep digital records without thinking about it
HelloNoa records every invoice, payment and expense as you go. It doesn't send anything to HMRC, so you'll still need MTD-compatible software or your accountant for that.
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