Missed the 7 August deadline? You're not the only one.
The first MTD update was due on 7 August and a lot of people didn't send one. The next is due on 7 November, so now is the moment to sort both in one go. Before you lose sleep over it: there's no fine for missing it this year. HMRC gave everyone a first year to get things wrong in. So take a breath, then let's get you caught up.
First, some good news nobody seems to mention
There's no fine for missing a quarterly update this year. HMRC built in a full year of grace, and most of the people panicking about August simply haven't heard that.
HMRC's actual position
In HMRC's words: "There are no penalties for missing a quarterly update deadline for the 2026 to 2027 tax year." Penalty points for late quarterly updates start from the 2027/28 year. Four points then triggers a £200 penalty.
So missing August hasn't cost you anything. It's more like an early warning light: the current setup won't cope next year, when the points start counting and there are four deadlines instead of none.
You've got a full year to get the rhythm right while mistakes are free. We'd use it.
Two things the grace period doesn't cover
Late payment penalties and interest still apply as normal, and your 2025/26 tax return is still due by 31 January 2027 under the old rules. The grace period covers the quarterly updates, nothing else.
One more thing that calms people down: a quarterly update is just a running total of income and expenses. It isn't a tax bill and nothing is final until the year-end declaration, so figures can be corrected later. Catching up is doable even if your records are currently a shoebox and a banking app.
Source: HMRC, Penalties for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Correct as at August 2026. We confirm your own position against your HMRC record before filing.
What we actually do
Usually finished within five to ten working days of getting your bank access.
Rebuild the quarter
We pull the transactions straight from your bank for 6 April to 5 July and categorise them for your trade. You don't need to sort a single receipt first.
File the late update
We set up the software, connect it to HMRC and submit the update you missed. You see the figures and approve them before anything goes anywhere.
Get ahead of November
The next deadline is 7 November. We put the bookkeeping on a monthly rhythm so that one files on time without you touching it.
What's behind you and what's next
| Quarter | Period covered | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | 6 April to 5 July 2026 | 7 August 2026 | Passed |
| Quarter 2 | 6 July to 5 October 2026 | 7 November 2026 | Next |
| Quarter 3 | 6 October 2026 to 5 January 2027 | 7 February 2027 | Upcoming |
| Quarter 4 | 6 January to 5 April 2027 | 7 May 2027 | Upcoming |
| Final declaration | Full 2026/27 tax year | 31 January 2028 | Upcoming |
Deadlines are set by HMRC and correct at the time of writing. We confirm your specific position against your HMRC record before filing anything.
Questions people actually ask
No. HMRC says plainly that there are no penalties for missing a quarterly update deadline in the 2026 to 2027 tax year. Points start counting from 2027/28, and it takes four of them before a £200 penalty lands.
Late payment penalties and interest are separate and still apply, and your 2025/26 tax return deadline of 31 January 2027 hasn't moved.
No, and you'd be surprised how normal your mess is. Most people arrive with a bank account and a pile of receipts, and that's enough. We rebuild from the bank data first and chase gaps later. Please don't spend an evening tidying up for us.
Maybe, but plenty of decent firms just weren't ready for the volume of quarterly filing MTD created. Talk to them first. If they have a plan, stay put. If they've gone quiet on you, we'll take it over and manage the handover politely.
It depends how many transactions there are and how much is missing, so we quote it after the call instead of guessing here. It's a one-off fixed fee, in writing, before we start. Ongoing MTD after that starts at £50 a month plus VAT.
It's our default because we know it inside out and it keeps things fast. Xero and FreeAgent are fine too. Either way the licence sits in your name, so if you ever leave us, the software and your data go with you.
Tell us where you are
We'll come back within one working day with what needs doing and what it costs.
Would rather just talk? Call 0117 374 1280 or message us on WhatsApp.