Sole traders and landlords: tax
Making Tax Digital Sole Trader Kit 2027 (UK)
Price: £15
One-off purchase. Instant download. UK buyers only, for now.
Secure checkout by Stripe. You confirm at checkout that you want the download straight away.
Faulty file? We fix it, replace it or refund you. Terms of sale and refunds.
- PDF and Word files, plus an Excel workbook with the calculator, records, totals check, quarter dates and tracker
- Version 1.0.1, free updates to that version
- Every source linked, last checked 7 November 2026
An Am I In calculator, quarter dates, a software checklist, a records template and a first-year timeline for sole traders, ahead of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on 6 April 2027 if your 2025 to 2026 qualifying income was over £30,000.
Dates. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts on 6 April 2027 if your qualifying income for 2025 to 2026 was over £30,000, unless you are exempt. The 2025 to 2026 return that decides it is due on 31 January 2027.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts on 6 April 2027 for sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income for 2025 to 2026 was over £30,000. Qualifying income is your self-employment and property income before expenses, not your profit. The 2025 to 2026 tax return, due on 31 January 2027, is the one that decides it. From the start you keep digital records in software, send four quarterly updates a year and submit your tax return through that software.
This kit helps you work out whether you are in, learn the update dates, check exemptions, choose software and set up your records in HMRC’s categories. It does not send anything to HMRC and is not Making Tax Digital software: you still need software that works with it, and the spreadsheets are for your own working. It is for sole traders; if you also let property, our Landlord MTD Starter Kit has the property categories and the landlord safety and deposit date trackers.
Formats: PDF and Word files, plus an Excel workbook with the calculator, records, totals check, quarter dates and tracker. The calculated columns use ordinary formulas that work in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice. No macros.
Free sample: Quarter Dates 2027 to 2029 (PDF, 1 page, 169 kB). One real page from the kit’s printable pack, unaltered: the update periods, deadlines and weekdays for 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029.
Version 1.0.1, checked 7 November 2026. Updates to this version are free.
What is inside
Who makes this, and how it is checked
- Made by
- Plainfiles, run by TurboKast Ltd (company number SC881077), registered in Scotland. 29 Commercial Street, Dundee, DD1 3DG.
- Checked
- Against 11 official sources on 7 November 2026. Every source is linked below.
- Reviewed
- The free guide for this kit was reviewed by Liam Humphreys on .
- If a file is faulty
- We fix it, replace it or refund you. Terms of sale and refunds.
- Who can buy
- Buyers in the UK only, for now. Payment is handled by Stripe; you download the files straight after paying.
Written and designed by Plainfiles with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, then checked against the official legislation and guidance listed in the sources. How we write and check our work.
What is included
- Facts Sheet: MTD at 30,000 poundsWho is in, how qualifying income is worked out, exemptions, quarterly updates, the tax return, records and penalties, with the source for each point.
- Am I In CalculatorEnter your income for a tax year and see your qualifying income, the limit, how far over or under you are and the date you would start.
- Exemption and Special Cases CheckThe automatic exemptions and the ones you must apply for, with what to do about each.
- Software Choice ChecklistWhat to check before choosing software, and a side-by-side table. No product is recommended.
- Income and Expenses RecordsOne row for each sale or cost, with HMRC’s sole trader categories and the update period each falls in.
- Category Totals CheckYear-to-date totals by category, to compare with the figures your software is about to send.
- Quarter Dates 2027 to 2029Update periods, deadlines and weekdays, standard and calendar.
- Quarterly Update TrackerPick the year and update and it shows the period end, the deadline and the days left.
- First-Year TimelineWhat to do from now until the 2027 to 2028 return in January 2029.
What it is not
- It does not send anything to HMRC and is not Making Tax Digital software. You need software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax to keep your digital records, send quarterly updates and submit your return. Many bridging products read spreadsheets only in their own layout, so check yours before relying on our spreadsheets as your digital records.
- It is not tax advice and is not issued or endorsed by HMRC or any government body. The Am I In Calculator is a planning check: HMRC decides who must use the service, and a figure close to the limit is worth checking with an adviser.
- It covers the United Kingdom’s sole traders. It does not cover partnerships (no start date has been given) or companies, and the property detail is in the separate Landlord MTD Starter Kit.
Sources and checking
Checked against these official sources on 7 November 2026:
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Work out your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- The Income Tax (Digital Obligations) Regulations 2026, S.I. 2026/336 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: create digital records (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: send quarterly updates (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: submit your tax return (GOV.UK)
- Find out if you can get an exemption from Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Penalties for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: quarterly update direction (GOV.UK)
Written and designed by Plainfiles with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, then checked against the official legislation and guidance listed in the sources. These kits are independent templates to help you organise your paperwork. They are not legal, tax or financial advice, are not issued or endorsed by any government body, regulator or council, and do not guarantee a licence, rating or any other outcome.
Free guides that go with this kit
- Making Tax Digital for sole traders: the £30,000 test and what starts on 6 April 2027 Making Tax Digital
- Making Tax Digital quarterly update dates 2027 to 2028: deadlines for sole traders Making Tax Digital
- Making Tax Digital for landlords: the £30,000 test explained Making Tax Digital
Get the MTD Sole Trader Kit
Price: £15
One-off purchase. Instant download. UK buyers only, for now.
Secure checkout by Stripe. You confirm at checkout that you want the download straight away.
Faulty file? We fix it, replace it or refund you. Terms of sale and refunds.
Accountant or bookkeeper onboarding clients? See the MTD practice onboarding pack (to pre-order).