Who can file your MTD return for you?

You do not have to file Making Tax Digital yourself. An accountant or tax agent who is authorised to act for you can register you for MTD for Income Tax and submit your four quarterly updates and year-end tax return through compatible software on your behalf. Many sole traders and landlords prefer this so they never have to touch the software or worry about deadlines.

There is a single step an accountant cannot do for you: setting up your HMRC personal tax account and registering for Self Assessment. HMRC requires the individual to do this. You can start it at gov.uk/personal-tax-account. Once that is done, we take over.

1. You set up your personal tax account and Self Assessment (above)
2. We register you for MTD, setting up each income source correctly — £95 + VAT
3. We prepare and file each quarterly update by its deadline — £75 + VAT per update
4. We can also prepare your year-end tax return

See the full 3-step process →

For an agent to file on your behalf, they need to be authorised to act for you with HMRC. This is a standard, secure process: the agent requests authorisation, and you confirm it — you are never asked to hand over your Government Gateway password. Once authorised, the agent can see your Making Tax Digital obligations, submit your updates and deal with HMRC on your behalf. You keep full visibility and can withdraw authorisation at any time.

In principle a trusted person can help, but MTD updates must go through compatible software, and whoever files needs access to your records and, ideally, proper authorisation. For a one-off favour that can work; for something you rely on every quarter, a professional who is authorised as your agent, files correctly and tracks your deadlines is usually the safer choice — especially where penalties are at stake.

With the first deadline on 7 August, the sooner you get in touch the smoother it is. Call 0114 327 1480 or email shjenquiry@msc-g.com.

Ask us to file your MTD →