How many sole traders and landlords have already submitted their first update for Making Tax Digital?

As of the first quarterly deadline, over 436,000 sole traders and landlords have already submitted their first update for Making Tax Digital.

Why is it important to be proactive with your Making Tax Digital registration?

Being proactive with your Making Tax Digital registration is important because it allows you to check that you are joining on the correct basis for your circumstances. It also gives you more time to ensure your bookkeeping records are up to date and that you have compatible software in place.

What is the significance of the 2026/27 soft landing for people who have missed a quarterly update?

The 2026/27 soft landing means that late quarterly updates do not currently result in penalty points. However, it is still important to submit outstanding updates before filing your tax return, and penalties may still apply for late tax returns and payments. It is therefore advised not to ignore missed updates and to take control of your registration sooner rather than later.

Making Tax Digital registration: Why you should act before HMRC does

Q: What is the importance of acting on Making Tax Digital registration?

Acting on your Making Tax Digital registration before HMRC does is crucial because it gives you more control and time to ensure you are registered correctly and have everything ready before your next submission is due. It also allows you to familiarise yourself with the process without the added pressure of HMRC contacting you first.

CREATED BY ALISON MEAD

Published: 01/09/2026 @ 09:01AM

#MakingTaxDigital #IncomeTax #HMRC #Registration #TaxCompliance

If you are required to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax but haven't yet registered, my advice is simple: don't wait for HMRC to do it for you. Taking control of your Making Tax Digital registration now gives you the opportunity to ensure you are registered correctly and have everything ready before your next submission is due ...

Register for Making Tax Digital now to stay ahead of HMRC's enforcement and avoid potential penalties

The first quarterly deadline has now passed, with more than 436,000 sole traders and landlords submitting their first update. However, there are still many people who should have joined Making Tax Digital from April 2026 but haven't yet signed up.

From September, HMRC is expected to begin enrolling
those it believes should already be within the system!

This is where I think being proactive with your Making Tax Digital registration becomes important. HMRC will be working with the information it holds about you, including figures from previous tax years.

Your circumstances may have changed since then. Your income might have increased or decreased, your business may have changed, or the information HMRC is using may simply no longer reflect your current position.

Registering yourself, or speaking to your bookkeeper or accountant and getting them to help, means you can check that you are joining Making Tax Digital on the right basis for your circumstances. It also gives you more time to make sure your bookkeeping records are up to date and that you have compatible software in place.

Getting your Making Tax Digital registration sorted sooner rather than later also means you can become familiar with the quarterly reporting process without the additional pressure of HMRC contacting you first.

There is some breathing room for people who have
already missed a quarterly update!

The 2026/27 soft landing means late quarterly updates do not currently result in penalty points. However, that does not mean they can simply be ignored. Outstanding updates must still be submitted before the relevant tax return can be filed, and the usual penalties may still apply to late tax returns and tax payments.

My message is therefore not to panic, but equally, don't put it off. If you think Making Tax Digital applies to you, check now rather than waiting for a letter or digital message from HMRC.

Taking control of your Making Tax Digital registration yourself means you can check you're registered correctly, get your systems ready and move forward knowing exactly what is expected of you.

Until next time ...

ALISON MEAD
I'm your Bookkeeping Buddy: Discover more by clicking here!

Would you like to know more?

If anything I've written in this blog post resonates with you and you'd like to discover more about Making Tax Digital registration, it may be a great idea to give me a call on 01604 420057 and let's see how I can help you.

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#MakingTaxDigital #IncomeTax #HMRC #Registration #TaxCompliance

About Alison Mead ...

Alison loves bookkeeping and supporting bookkeepers. She has been helping clients to be better bookkeepers in Sage 50 for over 24 years and has been Xero Accredited in accounts and payroll for a number of years too.

She specialises in a very unique hand-holding method of training, helping bookkeepers and business owners to use their accounts software as and when they need support in setting up and producing their invoices, reports and financial information.

Alison combines her role at Silicon Bullet with her Forever Living network marketing businesses and is often to be seen at business networking meetings as she likes to keep busy.

You know what they say: if you want something done well ask a busy person!

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Making Tax Digital registration: Why you should act before HMRC does

From September, HMRC is expected to begin enrollingthose it believes should already be within the system!

Your circumstances may have changed since then. Your income might have increased or decreased, your business may have changed, or the information HMRC is using may simply no longer reflect your current position.

There is some breathing room for people who havealready missed a quarterly update!

My message is therefore not to panic, but equally, don't put it off. If you think Making Tax Digital applies to you, check now rather than waiting for a letter or digital message from HMRC.

From September, HMRC is expected to begin enrolling
those it believes should already be within the system!

There is some breathing room for people who have
already missed a quarterly update!