The HMRC Help & Support service recently (14 March) sent out an email to registered tax agents headed “Coming soon: MTD ITSA testing’. Did you receive a copy?
In the opening paragraphs agents are invited to:
“…join testing of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment from 22 April 2024.”
As the mandated date for ITSA is April 2026, it would seem that HMRC is keen to beta test it’s systems in good time.
Also, the offer does provide firms with a chance to experience the systems and reporting demands of ITSA in good time to figure out how they position and charge for their ITSA support services.
The full text of HMRC’s invitation is reproduced below.
“If you have clients who are self-employed or landlords with an annual income over £50,000, they will be legally required to start keeping digital records and send quarterly updates of income and expenditure to HMRC using compatible software from April 2026. This requirement will extend to those with an annual income over £30,000 from April 2027.
“Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) is being introduced by HMRC to modernise the way self-employed individuals and landlords manage their tax affairs, helping avoid errors and get tax right.
“You will soon be able to sign up to testing
We want to ensure that this service meets the needs of you and your clients. To support this, we are expanding our testing programme criteria for MTD ITSA. You will be able to sign up your clients from 22 April 2024.
“Taking part will involve using software compatible with MTD to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates. This will give you the opportunity to get ahead of MTD changes with selected client(s) before it becomes mandatory, with access to our dedicated MTD Customer Support Team.
“What you need to do now
Please check whether you have an agent services account (ASA) as you will need this before signing up to MTD ITSA. If you don’t already have an ASA, you can set one up now on GOV.UK.
“Look out for further MTD testing updates
Week commencing 22 April 2024 we will send you an email with more information about how the testing programme will work, updated eligibility criteria and software choices, and how to sign up your clients.”
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