Making Tax Digital for self-employed gas engineers
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax changes how many sole traders report to HMRC: digital records, four quarterly updates a year and a tax return at the end. Here is what it means for a one-person gas business, with links to the GOV.UK pages that decide your own position.
Updated 6 November 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own position depends on your income and circumstances; check GOV.UK or ask an accountant.
Who has to use it, and from when
GOV.UK sets the start date by your qualifying income from self-employment and property in an earlier tax year:
- Over £50,000 in the 2024 to 2025 tax year: from 6 April 2026.
- Over £30,000 in the 2025 to 2026 tax year: from 6 April 2027.
- Over £20,000 in the 2026 to 2027 tax year: from 6 April 2028.
What changes for you
- You keep digital records of your business income and expenses in software that works with Making Tax Digital.
- You send a quarterly update four times a year. For the standard periods the deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
- You still submit a tax return after the end of the tax year. The 31 January deadline stays.
- For people who had to start on 6 April 2026, HMRC says it will not apply penalty points for late quarterly updates in the first 12 months. Late tax returns can still get penalty points.
What to sort out as an engineer
- Choose software that HMRC recognises for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, or ask your accountant which one they use.
- Record every invoice and every expense as you go, with the receipt, instead of in a pile at the end of the year.
- Keep business and personal spending apart; a separate bank account makes this much easier.
- Check whether you are exempt. GOV.UK lists reasons, such as being digitally excluded.
Where Tickzu fits
Tickzu is not Making Tax Digital software and does not send anything to HMRC. It keeps your invoices, payments and receipts in one place. On Pro it sends contacts and invoices to FreeAgent, which handles Making Tax Digital submissions, and any plan can build an Accountant Pack with CSV files and receipt images for a chosen period.
Free tools for this
Questions
Do I still need an accountant?
Making Tax Digital does not remove the need for advice. Many engineers keep their accountant and give them access to the same software.
What counts as qualifying income?
GOV.UK explains how to work it out from your self-employment and property income. Check its guidance for your own figures.
Does Tickzu submit my quarterly updates?
No. Tickzu does not submit anything to HMRC. FreeAgent, which Tickzu can send invoices to on Pro, is used for that.