Data from Google Trends shows interest in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax recently reached its highest level ever recorded, with searches jumping more than 600% in just two months. The spike in interest comes ahead of a key deadline from HM Revenue and Customs. From 6 April 2026, self-employed workers and landlords earning more than £50,000 will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly income updates to HMRC rather than relying solely on a single annual tax return.
More than 860,000 people are expected to be affected in this first phase. Experts say misconceptions about the new system are spreading just as quickly as awareness is rising. According to Paul Lodder at Dext, many freelancers believe the changes will dramatically increase their workload or costs.
One of the most common fears is that self-employed workers will be forced to buy expensive software simply to pay their taxes. In reality, the new process involves four quarterly updates followed by a final declaration, not five full tax returns each year. 'You’re not filing five full returns,' Paul Lodder says.
' By recording expenses in real time - often by simply photographing receipts - many freelancers may actually find the process less stressful than the current January self-assessment rush. Tax specialists say another issue may be just as important as the new digital reporting rules: the wider tax landscape. According to Elsa Littlewood, tax partner at BDO, more people are already being drawn into higher tax bands due to frozen thresholds.
'Fiscal drag is pulling greater numbers of taxpayers into higher tax brackets,' Elsa Littlewood says. She warns that understanding allowances and reliefs before the tax year ends is becoming increasingly important. The April 2026 rollout is only the first stage of the changes.
The income threshold will fall to £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028, meaning millions more will be affected.