Quarterly updates — what practices need to brief clients on
Quarterly updates are summaries of income and expenses, not tax returns. Compatible software totals the digital records for each business.
What is sent
- Totals for each income and expense category used for self-employment and property.
- HMRC does not receive individual receipts or invoices.
- Each update covers from the start of the tax year to the end of the update period (cumulative), so corrections flow into the next send.
- No accounting or tax adjustments are required before sending a quarterly update.
- Nil updates are still required if there was no income or expenses in the period.
Standard vs calendar periods
Deadlines are the same; coverage dates differ:
| Deadline | Standard period | Calendar period |
|---|---|---|
| 7 August | 6 Apr – 5 Jul | 1 Apr – 30 Jun |
| 7 November | 6 Apr – 5 Oct | 1 Apr – 30 Sep |
| 7 February | 6 Apr – 5 Jan | 1 Apr – 31 Dec |
| 7 May (next TY) | 6 Apr – 5 Apr | 1 Apr – 31 Mar |
Calendar periods must be selected in software before the first update. You cannot change the period type for a tax year after an update has been sent.
Soft landing: 2026 to 2027
GOV.UK states HMRC will not apply penalty points for late quarterly updates during 2026 to 2027. Quarterly updates are still required before the tax return can be submitted. Late tax return penalties still apply.
Joint property note
For jointly let properties, updates can include income and expenses, or income only. If expenses are omitted, they must be reported after year-end by resending the fourth update before the return.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax/send-quarterly-updates
Related: deadline calendar