Making Tax Digital deadlines
Four quarterly updates and one final declaration. The dates, what each one covers, and what happens if you miss one.
The four quarterly updates
Under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax you send HMRC a summary of income and expenses four times a year. The deadlines are fixed, and they are the same for sole traders and landlords:
- 7 August — covers 6 April to 5 July
- 7 November — covers 6 July to 5 October
- 7 February — covers 6 October to 5 January
- 7 May — covers 6 January to 5 April
Each update is a summary, not a tax return, and it does not mean paying tax four times a year.
The final declaration
After the tax year ends you complete a final declaration by 31 January. It pulls together the quarterly updates, adds anything else HMRC needs to know about, such as employment income, savings interest, dividends or pensions, and replaces the Self Assessment return you used to file.
Payment dates have not changed
Tax is still due by 31 January, with payments on account on 31 January and 31 July where they apply. Quarterly updates change the reporting, not the paying.
What a missed deadline costs
HMRC use a points system. Each late quarterly update earns a point, and at four points there is a £200 penalty, with a further £200 for each late submission after that. Points expire after a period of filing on time. Late payment interest and penalties are separate and still apply.
Getting ahead of them
The updates are only painful if the records are not kept as you go. With a bank feed connected and receipts captured when they happen, each quarter takes minutes. That is the part we do: we watch the dates, chase what is missing and file. See what that costs in the quote builder, or check whether you are caught at all with the Making Tax Digital checker.
Have it handled for a fixed monthly fee
B Keepers is the dedicated Making Tax Digital service of AIM GB LTD, accountants and bookkeepers with over 25 years behind them. We set the software up, connect your bank, keep the records straight and file every quarterly update. One fixed monthly fee, agreed before we start.
Launch offer: sign up by 31 December 2026 and your assisted bookkeeping is free until 5 April 2027, normally £7.50 a month.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 0333 121 1940 or send us a message.
Your questions, answered
When are the Making Tax Digital quarterly update deadlines?
7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. They cover the quarters ending 5 July, 5 October, 5 January and 5 April.
When is the final declaration due?
By 31 January after the end of the tax year. It replaces the Self Assessment return and covers all your income, not just the business or property.
Do I pay tax four times a year now?
No. The quarterly updates are reports, not payments. Tax is still due by 31 January, with payments on account on 31 January and 31 July where they apply.
What is the penalty for a late quarterly update?
HMRC use penalty points. Each late update earns a point and four points brings a £200 penalty, with a further £200 for each late submission after that.
What period does each update cover?
Each update covers the quarter just ended: 6 April to 5 July, 6 July to 5 October, 6 October to 5 January, and 6 January to 5 April.