HMRC lets you use a spreadsheet for MTD for Income Tax — if it's set up properly. Our kits give UK landlords and sole traders a compliant, ready-made spreadsheet plus a plain-English guide to submitting each quarter in 20 minutes.
See the kits — from £19 How it worksHMRC requires digital records and quarterly updates — but it doesn't require expensive software. The rules allow a spreadsheet connected to HMRC through recognised bridging software.
One row per rent payment or expense. Pick a category from the dropdown — the kit uses HMRC's exact category names, so nothing gets miscounted.
The Quarterly Update sheet keeps cumulative HMRC-ready totals per category, mapped to the exact fields bridging software expects.
Point free or low-cost bridging software at the sheet and submit. Our guide walks you through it step by step, deadline by deadline.
One-off payment. Instant download. Free updates all tax year.
For straightforward property or sole-trader income, you may not need a £15–30/month accounting platform.
| MTD Quarterly Kit | Accounting software | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost over a tax year | £19 once (+ free/cheap bridging tool) | £120–£360 every year |
| Learning curve | It's a spreadsheet | New system to learn |
| HMRC compliant | Yes — digital links + bridging | Yes |
| Your data | Yours, in your file, forever | In their cloud, while you pay |
| Best for | Simple property / sole-trader income | Complex businesses, VAT, payroll |
Yes. HMRC's rules allow spreadsheets as digital records provided they connect to HMRC via recognised bridging software using digital links (no retyping totals). That's exactly how this kit is structured — formulas carry your records to a submission-ready sheet.
Quarterly updates are due 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, each covering the tax year cumulatively to date. Your final declaration and tax payment stay at 31 January. The kit includes a calendar file with reminders.
Not yet — but the threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. Starting clean records now makes joining painless (and the habit is genuinely useful).
The guide compares the leading HMRC-recognised options (including free ones) and recommends the best fit depending on whether you use Excel or Google Sheets. Expect £0–£50 per year — not £15+ per month.
Because updates are cumulative, fixing your records automatically corrects the year-to-date figures in your next update. No resubmission needed.
No and no. Our kits are record-keeping tools and plain-English explainers built around HMRC's published rules and categories — general information, not advice, and buying one doesn't create an accountant–client relationship. You stay responsible for your own figures and submissions. For advice on your specific situation, speak to a qualified accountant. Full details in our disclaimer & terms.