Overview
- From April 2026, those with qualifying gross income above £50,000 must keep digital records, use recognised software and send quarterly updates, then make a final declaration by 31 January.
- HMRC says quarterly updates are light touch rather than extra full returns, and thousands have already registered with over 12,000 updates filed in testing.
- A temporary 12-month grace period removes penalty points for late quarterly updates for April 2026 joiners, before the new points system leads to a £200 fine after four points.
- The threshold widens in phases, falling to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028, taking the total in scope toward about 2.9 million.
- Support and safeguards include free guidance, webinars and some free software options, plus exemptions for people genuinely unable to use digital tools.