HMRC opens its helpline on Saturday 7 November as Making Tax Digital deadline falls for landlords
Landlords and sole traders with income above £50,000 have their second quarterly update due that day, and the £30,000 group joins in April.
HMRC will run its Self Assessment helpline on Saturday 7 November for people filing under Making Tax Digital, as landlords and sole traders in the first wave reach their second quarterly deadline.
The phone line, 0300 200 3310, will be open from 9am to 3pm that day, with webchat from 8am to 4pm, according to a newsletter HMRC published on Friday. The department still encourages people and their agents to get in touch on a weekday if they can, and says some Saturday queries may need a call-back early the following week. The dedicated agent line will be closed, so agents should use the same helpline.
Who has to file
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has been mandatory since 6 April 2026 for landlords and sole traders with income above £50,000. They send short summaries of income and expenses through compatible software, which HMRC says are not extra tax returns.
For the income test, HMRC says turnover includes gross income from self-employment and property, before any tax allowances or expenses are deducted.
The threshold drops to £30,000 from 6 April 2027, which HMRC estimates will bring in about 1,077,000 more people, and to £20,000 from April 2028. There are some exemptions, including for people who are digitally excluded.
Checks for quarterly filers
The newsletter is written for software firms, but several points apply to anyone filing. Customers are on standard reporting by default and need to make an election only if they want calendar quarters. Anyone with more than one eligible income source has to submit an update for each.
HMRC is also running an advertising campaign aimed at the £30,000 to £50,000 group. Its first phase began on 19 October and runs up to late November.
