HMRC's "soft landing" for MTD is one of the most misunderstood features of the new regime. Many taxpayers have interpreted it as a general amnesty. a year where nothing really matters. That interpretation is wrong, and it is leading people to delay preparation in a way that will create serious problems when full penalties begin in April 2027.
Here is exactly what the soft landing covers, what it does not, and what you should actually be doing during this period.
The soft landing is a one-year suspension of penalty points for late quarterly submissions, confirmed by HMRC for the 2026–27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027). It applies to Phase 1 taxpayers only. those with qualifying income over £50,000.
Under normal MTD penalty rules, each missed quarterly submission earns one penalty point. Four points triggers a £200 fine. Each further miss adds £200. The soft landing pauses this points mechanism for one year. Nothing more, nothing less.
This is significant. Phase 2 taxpayers, those joining in April 2027 with income between £30,000 and £50,000. have no grace period. Their first missed submission is their first penalty point. If you are in this range, there is no benefit of the doubt built in. Start preparing now.
The soft landing has no effect whatsoever on late payment penalties. If you owe tax and it is paid late, interest accrues from the payment due date regardless of whether penalty points are suspended.
The MTD quarterly updates themselves do not trigger tax payments. Your Final Declaration, due 31 January 2028. is when your tax liability is confirmed. But if tax is underpaid on account or the liability is settled late, interest runs from the original due date.
The soft landing is a setup window, not a permission slip to delay. Here is what you should be doing between now and April 2027:
| Action | By When | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Register for MTD ITSA with HMRC | This week | Registration takes several days to process |
| Choose and set up approved software | Before 7 August | Need it to submit Q1 update |
| Submit Q1 update (6 Apr – 5 Jul) | 7 August 2026 | Soft-landed. No points if late, but should still file |
| Submit Q2, Q3, Q4 updates | Nov / Feb / May | Soft-landed. use these to practise the process |
| Submit Final Declaration | 31 Jan 2028 | NOT soft-landed, penalty point if late |
| Full penalty regime begins | April 2027 | Phase 2 joins; Phase 1 loses soft landing |
Think of the soft landing the way a new driver thinks about their first year on the road after passing their test. You are technically licenced and legally responsible. but there is a degree of leeway while you build experience. You would not use that leeway as a reason to drive recklessly or never practice.
The same logic applies here. Use 2026–27 to:
Taxpayers who do this arrive at April 2027, when full penalty points begin. with twelve months of practice and a working system. Taxpayers who use the soft landing as an excuse to do nothing will arrive in April 2027 scrambling to set up software under full penalty conditions.
There is no confirmed extension. HMRC has stated the soft landing applies to 2026–27 for Phase 1 taxpayers. There is no basis to assume it will be extended. and planning on that assumption would be unwise. Treat April 2027 as the point when full penalties apply.
No. If you have authorised an agent to manage your MTD submissions, the penalty regime works the same way regardless of whether they use the soft landing or not. Your agent submits on your behalf. the obligation and potential liability remain yours.
No. The soft landing is explicitly for Phase 1 (£50,000+) in 2026–27 only. Phase 2 taxpayers joining in April 2027 face full penalty points from their first quarterly submission deadline. This makes preparation before April 2027 significantly more important for this group.
Any points accumulated during 2027–28 onward are live and accumulate normally. Reach 4 points and you receive a £200 fine. Each further missed submission adds £200. Points expire after 24 consecutive months of full compliance once you drop below the threshold. but this requires two full years of clean compliance.
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