Making Tax Digital
Does Making Tax Digital Apply to Influencers?
Written by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT · Chartered Accountant · Last reviewed 22 October 2026
| Who | Sole traders and landlords |
|---|---|
| Qualifying income | Gross self-employment plus property income |
| Reports | Quarterly updates and a final declaration |
How it works
Qualifying income is your gross turnover from self-employment and property, not profit.
You keep records in MTD-compatible software and send summaries each quarter. Your final declaration replaces the old return.
HMRC uses income from an earlier tax return to decide when you join.
What changes day to day
Instead of one return a year, you send four short quarterly updates of income and expenses, then a final declaration after the year ends.
Your tax is still paid on the same dates: 31 January and 31 July. MTD changes how you report, not when you pay.
If you are close to the threshold, check each year — joining depends on qualifying income on an earlier return.
According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, monthly bookkeeping makes quarterly updates a five-minute job.
Example
Ben's 2024/25 return shows £62,000 of creator turnover — above £50,000. He must use MTD from April 2026 and send quarterly updates.
Illustrative figures only, based on 2026/27 rules.
What you need to do
- Check your gross qualifying income.
- Choose compatible software.
- Keep records digitally from day one.
- Diary quarterly deadlines.
Want us to handle this for you? Our Growth package covers VAT, brand-deal income, overseas payouts and Making Tax Digital. See also our Making Tax Digital for creators and our page for content creators.
Common mistakes
- 1Using profit instead of turnover.
- 2Leaving software set-up to the last minute.
- 3Forgetting property income counts too.
From our client work: We often see creators unsure whether gifted items count — they do count as income.
Frequently asked questions
Related questions
Official sources
Not sure where you stand?
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This is general guidance for UK tax residents for the 2026/27 tax year, not personal advice. Speak to us about your situation.
