Free, for sole-trade plumbers and electricians
Making Tax Digital: will it catch you in April 2027?
Two minutes with your tax return. It’s free, there’s nothing to sign up for, and you don’t need to buy anything from us.
The check
HMRC goes by your turnover, not your profit. GOV.UK’s words:
Qualifying income is your total income from self-employment and property. This is the amount before expenses (also known as turnover)
So what you charged a customer for parts and materials can count, even though the money went straight back out to the merchant. Someone clearing well under the line after costs can still be over it.
- Find your tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year. If it hasn’t gone in yet, the online deadline is 31 January 2027.
- Take your self-employment turnover, before expenses.
- Add any rent you get from property.
- If it comes to over £30,000, you’ll need to use Making Tax Digital from 6 April 2027.
| Your income for | Over | Start from |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | £50,000 | 6 April 2026 |
| 2025 to 2026 | £30,000 | 6 April 2027 |
| 2026 to 2027 | £20,000 | 6 April 2028 |
GOV.UK: Work out your qualifying income
GOV.UK: Check if you’re eligible, and who’s exempt
What changes if you’re in
You keep your records in software and send HMRC an update every quarter. The deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, so if you start on 6 April 2027 your first one is due on 7 August 2027.
For each thing that comes in or goes out, GOV.UK says to record the amount, the date and a category. A sole trader with turnover under £90,000 only has to say whether it’s income or an expense, and you can do that close to the day it happens. You still need to keep your bank statements and invoices, or copies of them.
From the 2027 to 2028 tax year, GOV.UK says a missed quarterly update gets a late submission penalty point.
GOV.UK: Send quarterly updates
GOV.UK: Create digital records
GOV.UK: Choose the right software
A message to send your accountant
If you’ve got an accountant or bookkeeper, this asks them everything you need. Copy it, change it, send it from your phone.
Before you rely on this
We aren’t accountants and this isn’t tax advice. We wrote it on 6 November 2026 from GOV.UK’s guidance, so check the links above, and ask your accountant if you’re in a partnership, trade through a limited company or think you might be exempt.
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