Getting Started with My Tax Digital
About My Tax Digital
My Tax Digital is a free UK tax portal that allows businesses, sole traders and landlords to meet HMRC's Making Tax Digital (MTD) requirements.
Since 2019, My Tax Digital has successfully supported tens of thousands of businesses in submitting their MTD VAT returns.
My Tax Digital now supports MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA), allowing UK sole traders and landlords to submit quarterly cumulative income and expenses. It also enables tax payers to Adjust Income & Expenses (to correct previously submitted figures), view Adjustments & Allowances (for annual adjustments and non-financials), and manage both Brought Forward Losses and Loss claims.
My Tax Digital is truly free to use for both MTD for VAT and MTD for ITSA compliance. There are no hidden charges, subscriptions, or fees for using the core features needed to submit your required returns to HMRC.
Getting Help
If you have any questions or encounter a problem while using the app, you can contact the support team.
- Check the FAQs: Look through the Frequently Asked Questions section of this guide first, as most common queries are covered there.
- Contact via Email: You can email the support team directly with your query: mytaxdigital@openanswers.co.uk.
- Note: For security reasons, if you have lost access to your account and cannot generate this token, the support team cannot provide account-specific assistance.
Prerequisites for HMRC MTD
If you want to use My Tax Digital to submit either VAT or Income Tax returns to HMRC, you must ensure you meet the following requirements.
1. Government Gateway Credentials
You must have a Government Gateway user ID and password that has been successfully enrolled for the specific MTD service you plan to use (VAT, ITSA, or both).
2. MTD for VAT Requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mandatory for all | Since April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses, regardless of turnover, must comply with MTD for VAT. |
| Digital Records | You must keep digital records of your VAT transactions. |
| Submission | Returns must be submitted directly to HMRC using MTD-compatible software like My Tax Digital. |
| HMRC Guidance | For more details on MTD for VAT, please see the official HMRC guidance: Making Tax Digital for VAT on GOV.UK |
3. MTD for ITSA Thresholds and Timelines
MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) applies to UK sole traders and landlords who receive income from business or property. It is being introduced in phases based on your annual gross qualifying income.
| Mandatory Start Date | Qualifying Income Threshold (from self-employment and/or property) |
|---|---|
| 6 April 2026 | Over £50,000 (Based on 2024–25 tax year income) |
| 6 April 2027 | Over £30,000 (Based on 2025–26 tax year income) |
| 6 April 2028 | Over £20,000 (Based on 2026–27 tax year income) |
- Qualifying Income is your total gross income from your self-employment business and/or your UK property letting business.
The MTD for ITSA Process
Once you are mandated to join MTD for ITSA, you must:
- Keep digital records of your income and expenses using software.
- Submit four quarterly updates to HMRC throughout the tax year. These updates are cumulative, showing your income and expenses from the start of the tax year up to the end of that quarter.
- Submit one Final Declaration after the end of the tax year, which replaces the old annual Self Assessment tax return.
For more details on MTD for ITSA, please see the official HMRC guidance: Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on GOV.UK.
