No. As at 18 October 2026, the HMRC app lets you check and pay your Self Assessment tax, but Making Tax Digital records, quarterly updates and your tax return need compatible software from a software provider.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD) means keeping digital records of your self-employment and rental income and expenses, and sending HMRC a summary every 3 months. It started on 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000, and HMRC says it extends to those over £30,000 from April 2027 and over £20,000 from April 2028. This page follows GOV.UK as checked on 18 October 2026.
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What the HMRC app does today
GOV.UK's page on the HMRC app was last updated on 7 September 2026. Among other things, it says you can use the app to check your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and find out how much tax you owe. You can also make payments and set reminders, claim a refund if you have paid too much, tell HMRC you no longer need to send a Self Assessment tax return, track forms and letters you have sent, and update your name or address.
That list does not mention Making Tax Digital, digital records, quarterly updates or sending a tax return. In our reading, the app is a place to check and pay, not a place to keep your books or file.
| Task | The HMRC app | Compatible MTD software |
|---|---|---|
| Find your UTR and see how much tax you owe | Yes | Not needed for this |
| Pay your tax and set payment reminders | Yes | Not needed for this |
| Keep digital records of income and expenses | Not listed by GOV.UK | Yes |
| Send quarterly updates to HMRC | Not listed by GOV.UK | Yes |
| Add other income and submit your tax return | Not listed by GOV.UK | Yes |
| See an estimate of your tax bill after an update | Not listed by GOV.UK | Yes, and in your HMRC online account |
Why you need software from a provider
GOV.UK's software guidance, updated on 13 July 2026, says that you, or an agent on your behalf, "will need to use commercial software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax". Between them, the software you use has to do three jobs:
- create, store and correct digital records of your self-employment and property income and expenses
- send your quarterly updates to HMRC
- add any other income you have and submit your tax return by 31 January the following year
GOV.UK sends you to its software finder to choose a product. It says all the software listed there has been through HMRC's recognition process, and that HMRC does not recommend any product or software provider. HMRC's own Making Tax Digital guide asks "Does HMRC have its own Making Tax Digital software I can use?" and answers "No", because it works with lots of different software providers instead.
There are two types of software. One creates your records, from a bank feed, scanned receipts or typed entries. The other, called bridging software, connects to records you already keep, such as a spreadsheet, and sends the submissions for you. GOV.UK says free products are available for those with simple tax affairs, but there may be limits on how they can be used, such as a set number of transactions.
What this means for you
Keep the HMRC app. It is still a quick way to check your UTR, see what you owe and pay it by 31 January. In our reading, Making Tax Digital does not replace that.
What the app cannot do, based on GOV.UK's own description, is keep your MTD records or send your updates. Take a plasterer who logs jobs in a notebook and pays tax through the app, or a landlord with two flats who checks the app each January. Once MTD applies, both need software that holds their income and expenses digitally and sends an update for each 3-month period. The update deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
GOV.UK also says you must still send an update for a period in which you had no income or expenses. A quarter with no lets, or three months off work, still needs an update.
Steps to get ready
- Run the free MTD check to see when Making Tax Digital starts for you.
- Decide whether you want software that keeps your records, or bridging software that reads a spreadsheet you already use.
- Use the GOV.UK software finder to list products that cover your income: self-employment, UK property or foreign property.
- Check the product sends quarterly updates and submits your tax return, or plan for a second product that does.
- Sign up for Making Tax Digital, and authorise your software, before you send your first update.
- Keep the HMRC app for checking your UTR, seeing what you owe and paying it.
Our guides on free MTD software and using a spreadsheet go further. The trades section and the landlord section describe our service.
Hold your place on the waitlist
We’ll email you when Trades Tax opens, with the founding offer while places last. No payment is taken.
Questions people ask
Does HMRC have its own free Making Tax Digital software?
No. HMRC's Making Tax Digital guide says it does not have its own software and works with lots of different software providers instead. GOV.UK says you, or an agent, will need to use commercial software that works with Making Tax Digital, and sends you to its software finder. Some products on the finder have free versions.
Can I see my quarterly update deadlines in the HMRC app?
GOV.UK's list of what the app does does not mention them. GOV.UK says your HMRC online account shows your quarterly update and tax return due dates. The update deadlines are the same every year: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
Can I still pay my tax bill in the HMRC app?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can use the app to make payments and set reminders to make payments. In our reading, Making Tax Digital does not change that. Quarterly updates are summaries of your income and expenses, not tax returns, and the 31 January tax return deadline remains.
Where do I see that a quarterly update has arrived?
GOV.UK says the recent activity in your HMRC online account will say 'You sent a quarterly update'. You sign in to HMRC online services with the same details you use for Self Assessment. You also get an estimate of your tax bill in your software and in that account.
What if I cannot use software at all?
You may be able to apply for an exemption. HMRC says there are various exemptions from Making Tax Digital, including for people who are digitally excluded. Our exemption guide explains who qualifies.
Can someone else use the software for me?
Yes. GOV.UK says you, or an agent on your behalf, will need to use the software. An agent can also sign you up instead of you doing it.
Sources
- Download the HMRC app (GOV.UK, updated 7 September 2026)
- Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK, updated 13 July 2026)
- Find software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK software finder)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Send quarterly updates (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Create digital records (GOV.UK)
- Deadline approaches for first Making Tax Digital quarterly update (GOV.UK press release, 23 July 2026)
- What software you'll need for Making Tax Digital (HMRC guide)
- Check if Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has been added to your HMRC online account (GOV.UK)
This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.
Righto Tax is a trading name of NJG Consultancy Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16095900. Registered office: Jubilee House, East Beach, Lytham St Annes, FY8 5FT.
What happens next
- Use the free Making Tax Digital checker to see your own start date and deadlines.
- See what Righto Tax for Trades does for you, and join the waitlist.
- Questions about this page? Email hello@rightotax.co.uk.