MTD for Accountants: Getting Your Clients Ready
A practical readiness plan for accountancy practices — segmenting clients by threshold, fixing record-keeping habits, choosing software, managing authorisations, and pricing the extra quarterly work.
The short answer
To get clients ready for MTD, segment them by when they're mandated (over £50,000 from April 2026, £30,000 from 2027, £20,000 from 2028), fix digital record-keeping now, standardise on compatible software, set up Agent Services Account authorisations early, and re-price to reflect four quarterly touchpoints instead of one annual return.
MTD is as much a practice-management challenge as a technical one. Here's a practical plan to get your client base ready without a last-minute scramble.
Step 1: Segment by threshold and timeline
Map every client to when they're mandated:
| Mandated from | Gross qualifying income |
|---|---|
| April 2026 | over £50,000 |
| April 2027 | over £30,000 |
| April 2028 | over £20,000 |
Tackle the April 2026 group first, but build repeatable processes as you go, because the 2027 and 2028 waves are far larger in number.
Step 2: Fix record-keeping now
The clients who'll cause you pain are the shoebox ones. Start moving them to digital records well before their start date:
- separate business bank accounts;
- regular (monthly) bookkeeping instead of an annual dump;
- a consistent way to capture receipts.
The earlier this habit forms, the smoother every quarter is.
Step 3: Standardise on software
You can support many tools, but standardising cuts your training and support burden. Choose software that:
- handles your common client types — sole traders, landlords, CIS;
- fits the agent workflow (ASA, client authorisations, per-client filing);
- lets you import client spreadsheets for those who keep their own.
Step 4: Sort authorisations early
Set up your Agent Services Account and get client authorisations accepted before deadlines loom — see how agents get client authorisation. Chasing acceptances in the week before a deadline is the classic avoidable crisis.
Step 5: Re-price for four touchpoints
MTD turns one annual return into four quarterly updates plus a final declaration. That's more frequent work and more client contact. Most practices move to a fixed monthly fee per client that reflects the new rhythm, rather than a single year-end invoice.
Step 6: Communicate the change
Clients don't like surprises. A short explainer — what's changing, what you need from them, what it costs — reduces the "why am I paying more?" conversations and positions you as on top of it.
ThisQuarter is designed for exactly this multi-client agent workflow: connect your ASA, add and authorise clients, import or enter figures, and file each client's quarterly updates and final declaration from one encrypted desktop app.
Key takeaways
- Segment clients by the £50k / £30k / £20k timeline and start with 2026.
- Move clients to digital record-keeping now to avoid quarter-end chaos.
- Standardise software around your common client types and the agent flow.
- Set up authorisations early and re-price for four touchpoints a year.
This article is general information, not tax or practice advice. Check HMRC's agent guidance at gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Which clients do I prepare first?
Segment by the threshold and timeline. Prioritise clients with gross income over £50,000 who are mandated from April 2026, then those approaching £30,000 (2027) and £20,000 (2028). Deal with the imminent group first while building repeatable processes.
How should I price MTD work?
MTD replaces one annual return with four quarterly updates plus a final declaration, so there's more frequent work. Many practices move to a fixed monthly fee per client that reflects the extra touchpoints, rather than a single year-end bill.
What's the biggest onboarding bottleneck?
Client record-keeping and authorisations. Getting clients keeping digital records early, and getting Agent Services Account authorisations accepted before deadlines loom, are the two things that cause a last-minute crunch if left late.
Do all my clients need the same software?
Not necessarily, but standardising reduces your training and support load. Pick software that handles your common client types — sole traders, landlords, CIS — and works with your agent workflow.
Related reading
Agent Services Account: Setup Guide for Accountants
What an Agent Services Account (ASA) is, why accountants need one for MTD, how to set it up, how it differs from the old agent accounts, and how it links to client authorisations.
How Agents Get MTD Client Authorisation from HMRC
Step by step: how an accountant requests authority to act for a client under MTD, the proof-of-knowledge check, how the client accepts, invitation statuses, and de-authorising a client.
MTD for Income Tax Explained for Sole Traders (2026 Guide)
A plain-English guide to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax for sole traders — who's affected, what changes, what you have to do each quarter, and how to get ready before April 2026.