Your second MTD quarterly update is due by 7 November 2026

If you missed or fumbled the 7 August update, breathe

Because updates are cumulative, the 7 November submission contains your whole year so far. Fix the figures in your records, and the next update carries the corrected totals. You do not resubmit the first one. And for the 2026/27 year HMRC is not issuing penalty points for late quarterly updates (the soft landing), though all four updates must still be in before your final declaration can be filed. Missing one is a problem to fix, not a fine to fear, this year. If you are reading this after 7 August, here is what to do now.

Who this applies to

Sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income on the 2024/25 Self Assessment return was over £50,000. HMRC says more than 864,000 people are in this first phase. Unsure whether you are in scope? Run the £50,000 qualifying income test or the MTD deadline checker (no signup). From April 2027 the threshold drops to £30,000, and to £20,000 from April 2028, so the answer changes by year even if your income does not.

What you actually submit

A digital summary of business income and expenses for 6 April to 5 October, sent through MTD-compatible software. It is not a tax return, it does not calculate a bill, and no payment is due with it. The real work is not the submission; it is having every transaction recorded and categorised so the totals are defensible.

Honest limitation: a spreadsheet-based system records; it does not file. Bridging or MTD software does the sending.

The dates for the rest of the year

Standard quarterly periods shown. If you make the calendar-quarter election, your period ends are the last day of each month (30 Jun, 30 Sep and so on) instead.

The three things that catch people

From our checker traffic and five customer conversations, honestly framed.

1. Completeness. Entries that slip through the net between bank statements and records. The cumulative total is only as good as what you captured.
2. Allocation. Mileage (55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in 2026/27, up from 45p, work it out with the mileage calculator) and use of home (the home office flat rate calculator).
3. Thinking the update is a tax return and panicking about payment. It is neither.

Near the VAT line as your income grows? Check your headroom with the VAT registration threshold checker.

FAQ

What does the 7 November MTD quarterly update cover?

Because quarterly updates are cumulative, the 7 November submission is a running year-to-date total for 6 April to 5 October 2026, not just the July to October quarter. It is a digital summary of business income and expenses sent through MTD-compatible software. It is not a tax return and no payment is due with it.

I missed or fumbled the 7 August update. Do I resubmit it?

No. Because updates are cumulative, the 7 November submission already contains your whole year so far. Fix the figures in your records and the next update carries the corrected totals. For 2026/27 HMRC is not issuing penalty points for late quarterly updates (the soft landing), though all four updates must be in before your final declaration.

Who has to send it?

Sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income on the 2024/25 Self Assessment return was over £50,000. HMRC says more than 864,000 people are in this first phase. From April 2027 the threshold drops to £30,000, and to £20,000 from April 2028.

Do I pay any tax on 7 November?

No. Quarterly updates are information only, with no payment attached. Your payment dates are unchanged (the 31 January balancing payment, and payments on account in July if they apply to you).