Big changes are coming to the way self-employed business owners and landlords report their earnings to HMRC. Here’s a simple guide that outlines everything you’ll have to do to prepare for and follow the new rules.
What’s changing and who does it affect?
HMRC’s new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) rules will come into effect in April 2023. From then on, sole traders, partnerships and landlords with income above £10,000 will have to change the way they record and report income to HMRC.
Instead of submitting a Self Assessment tax return once a year, affected businesses and landlords will need to use MTD-compatible accounting software to send quarterly updates about their earnings, followed by a final update at the end of the year.
What will you need to do?
If the changes affect you, here are five things you’ll need to do to comply with the new rules:
1. Sign up for the initiative via the HMRC website
If your annual taxable turnover from your self-employed business or your annual income from property is above £10,000, you will have to follow the rules for your next accounting period that starts on or after 6th April 2023, so you will need to sign up at some point before that date.
An MTD for ITSA pilot scheme has been running since 2018 and a number of eligible businesses and landlords can choose to sign up and follow the rules voluntarily now. Check out this guidance on signing up for MTD for ITSA to find out more about how to get started. A wider public beta programme is due to be rolled out in April 2022.
If your accountant, bookkeeper or tax agent is signing up on your behalf, HMRC has outlined a separate process for them to follow.
2. Keep digital business records
Under the MTD for ITSA rules, you’ll need to keep digital records of all your business income and expenses – this includes all income from self-employment or property. You should start to keep digital records at the start of the accounting period you are signing up for, and you’ll need to do this for the whole of the accounting period.
To keep digital records, you’ll need to use software that’s compatible with MTD for ITSA, as you’ll also need to send these records to HMRC via a digital link.
3. Get MTD-compatible accounting software
Our MTD compatible software will make sure the shift to a new way of reporting income and expenses will be as easy as possible.
Our Banking feeds automatically import your bank transactions into your accounting software package, which will save us time when we prepare your accounts providing you further savings.
4. Send business income and expenses updates
Once you’re signed up to MTD for ITSA, you’ll need to send a summary of your business income and expenses to HMRC every three months. We will tell you how and when to send the updates.
Sending updates will enable you to see a year-to-date calculation of how much tax you owe at any time, helping you to budget accordingly.
5. Finalise your business income
At the end of your accounting period, you’ll need to finalise your business income in a final declaration. This is where you confirm that the updates you sent are correct, add any details about personal income or reliefs and make any other accounting adjustments. This final declaration replaces the current Self Assessment tax return.
Once your final declaration is submitted you’ll be able to see a tax calculation either in your software or in your HMRC account. Just as with Self Assessment, you’ll have to pay the tax you owe by 31st January the following tax year.
