Your numbers
Results update as you typeMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax changes how records are kept, not just how they are filed. Quarterly submissions from compatible software mean a January spreadsheet marathon stops being an option — the records have to exist as you go.
Digital records, kept as you go
Income and expenses recorded digitally and close to when they happen. A spreadsheet is not automatically disqualified, but it has to connect to compatible software, and reconstructing a year from bank statements in one sitting is no longer viable.
Property-level separation
Income and costs attributed to the right property. If your records treat the portfolio as one pot, splitting it retrospectively is the single most time-consuming part of getting ready.
Evidence you can find again
Receipts and invoices organised so a specific one can be produced against a specific transaction. Filed digitally against the transaction beats a folder of photos in date order.
A cadence, not a deadline
Quarterly updates only work if bookkeeping is a routine rather than an event. Connected bank feeds reviewed regularly are what makes each quarter a short task instead of a scramble.
Frequently asked questions
Does MTD apply to me?
It depends on your qualifying income from self-employment and property, and the thresholds have been phased in. Check your own position against current HMRC guidance rather than assuming — they have moved more than once.
Can I still use a spreadsheet?
Only if it links to compatible software that can make the submissions. Spreadsheets remain workable for calculation; they cannot file on their own.
What does this score actually measure?
How closely your current process resembles one that can produce quarterly submissions without a reconstruction exercise. It is a prompt for where to start, not a compliance assessment.
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These are indicative figures for planning, not tax advice. Confirm anything you act on with a qualified accountant.