AS if running a business were not difficult enough, there are regular changes to the tax laws that make it tricky to keep up to date. Luckily for members, Chew Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President, Rod Podger, from Underwood Lamb, always has his ear to the ground.

When it comes to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), there are often moving goal posts and sometimes you are not even sure which game you are playing. What do we know for sure ?

Making Tax Digital For Income Tax Self Assessment (MTDITSA) is due to be introduced from April 2026 with self-employed individuals and landlords with gross turnover over £50,000 mandated to join first. Those with income over £30,000 will join from April 2027 and those over £20,000 from April 2028.

There are two main elements to the MTD regime – a requirement to keep digital records, and the submission of quarterly returns of income and expenses in respect of self employment and/or rental income in addition to the existing annual return. The additional burden of extra quarterly returns does seem a step too far in relation to relatively small businesses and landlords.

Something else the Revenue have indicated is that from March/April 2026, they will adopt a “Digital by default” approach to outward communications to those who already interact with them digitally. There is no indication, as yet, that this will apply to all taxpayers, but their already inconsistent and unreliable postal communication system suggests that the likelihood of receiving letters and tax statements when HMRC say they have sent them is reducing all the time.

Running a business – what a pleasure !

If you would like to join us in the Chamber or just find out a bit more, please take a look at our website – chewvalleychamber.co.uk