MTD Quarterly Deadlines 2026/27 — The Calendar
7 Aug · 7 Nov · 7 Feb · 7 May, the calendar-quarter election, the final declaration on 31 January 2028, and what a late update costs.
The short answer
Four quarterly updates, then one final declaration. For 2026/27 the quarterly deadlines are 7 Aug 2026 · 7 Nov 2026 · 7 Feb 2027 · 7 May 2027, and the final declaration with your tax payment is due 31 January 2028. Updates are cumulative, so a late or wrong quarter is corrected in the next one.
This is the calendar page — the dates, the two period options, and what each deadline actually requires. Bookmark it; we update it each April and log any HMRC change on the news log.
2026/27 quarterly deadlines
| Period | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Q1: 6 Apr – 5 Jul 2026 (calendar election: 1 Apr – 30 Jun 2026) | 7 Aug 2026 |
| Q2: 6 Jul – 5 Oct 2026 (calendar election: 1 Jul – 30 Sep 2026) | 7 Nov 2026 |
| Q3: 6 Oct – 5 Jan 2027 (calendar election: 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026) | 7 Feb 2027 |
| Q4: 6 Jan – 5 Apr 2027 (calendar election: 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2027) | 7 May 2027 |
| Final declaration for 2026/27 (plus tax payment) | 31 January 2028 |
Standard quarters run from 6 April; you may elect calendar quarters (1 April, 1 July, 1 October, 1 January) before your first update of the year. The deadlines are the same either way — the 7th of the month after the quarter ends, plus a month.
What a quarterly update is — and is not
- It is a summary of income and expenses for the year to date, by category, sent from compatible software.
- It is not a tax return, does not need accounting adjustments, and does not trigger a payment.
- Because it is cumulative, you correct a mistake in the next update — no amended submissions.
- One update covers all your UK properties (one property business); overseas property is a separate business with its own updates.
The final declaration
After the fourth quarter you (or your agent) add accounting and tax adjustments — the Section 24 credit, the £1,000 property allowance decision, losses brought forward — and confirm the year’s figures by 31 January 2028. Tax is paid on the usual self-assessment dates; payments on account continue unchanged.
Who is on this calendar
| Qualifying income | Mandated from |
|---|---|
| £50,000+ gross (tested on 2024/25 return) | 2026-04-06 |
| £30,000+ gross (tested on 2025/26 return) | 2027-04-06 |
| £20,000+ gross (tested on 2026/27 return) | 2028-04-06 |
Qualifying income is GROSS income (before expenses) from self-employment + property, combined; joint property counts only your share. A landlord with £40,000 of rent and £15,000 of self-employment is mandated now; a joint owner with £90,000 of rent across a 50/50 property is not until the £30,000 wave. Run the checker.
What happens if you miss one
Late-submission penalties are points-based: one point per missed deadline, a £200 penalty at 4 points. For quarterly updates the points apply only “for tax years after 2026 to 2027” (gov.uk wording) — the first year is a soft landing on quarterly updates, but not on the final declaration. Penalties explained.
gov.uk “Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax” (quarterly periods, calendar election, deadlines); gov.uk penalties for late submission (read verbatim 29 Aug 2026); mandation timeline gov.uk find-out-if-and-when (updated 26 Mar 2026). Checked 2026-08-29, re-checked 31 Aug 2026.
Quick answers
7 Aug 2026 · 7 Nov 2026 · 7 Feb 2027 · 7 May 2027 for the four quarters, then the final declaration by 31 January 2028.
No. Quarterly updates are information only. Tax is paid on the normal self-assessment dates after the final declaration; payments on account are unchanged.
Yes — elect before your first update of the tax year. Deadlines stay the same (7 August, 7 November, 7 February, 7 May).
Points for late quarterly updates apply only for tax years after 2026/27, per gov.uk. Points for a late final declaration apply from the first year.