23 days until Making Tax Digital. Nobody's ready.

April 6, 2026. That's the date. If you're a self-employed developer in the UK earning over £50k, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax kicks in. Quarterly digital submissions to HMRC. Compatible software mandatory. Paper records no longer accepted. And based on every conversation I've had? Almost nobody's actually ready. What's actually changing Quarterly updates — submit income/expense summaries to HMRC every 3 months via compatible software Digital records — spreadsheets count (if they meet the standard), but notebooks don't End of Period Statement — annual summary replacing your current tax return process Final Declaration — replaces the self-assessment tax return Why developers specifically should care Because loads of us hit £50k. Contract rates in the UK have been strong. And unlike employed developers who have payroll handling everything, we're doing this ourselves. The threshold drops to £30k in April 2027. If you're anywhere near either number, this affects you. What you actually