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.
What the soft landing actually is
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.
✅ What the soft landing DOES cover
✓Penalty points for late Q1 quarterly update (7 Aug 2026)
✓Penalty points for late Q2 update (7 Nov 2026)
✓Penalty points for late Q3 update (7 Feb 2027)
✓Penalty points for late Q4 update (7 May 2027)
✓Phase 1 taxpayers only (£50k+ income)
❌ What the soft landing does NOT cover
✗Late payment interest on tax owed
✗The Final Declaration (31 Jan 2028)
✗Phase 2 taxpayers joining April 2027
✗Phase 3 taxpayers joining April 2028
✗Failure to register with HMRC at all
Which phases get a soft landing?
Apr 2026
£50,000+ income
✓ Soft landing 2026–27
Apr 2027
£30,000–£50,000
✗ No soft landing
Apr 2028
£20,000–£30,000
✗ No soft landing
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 late payment interest problem
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.
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Worked example: Sarah has a self-employment tax liability of £8,200 for 2026–27. She files her Final Declaration late in March 2028 — two months after the 31 January deadline. HMRC issues her a penalty point (Final Declaration is not soft-landed) and charges late payment interest at 3% from day 16 plus 10% per annum daily interest from day 31. On £8,200, two months of interest is not trivial.
⚡ MTD Penalty Simulator
See exactly what non-compliance costs
How many quarterly updates missed?
Tax year
What you should do during the soft landing period
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
The right way to use the 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:
Learn how quarterly reporting works in your software
Identify which income and expense categories apply to you
Build a habit of reconciling records monthly rather than annually
Understand the difference between your quarterly update and your Final Declaration
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.
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The best use of the soft landing: Register, set up software, and submit all four quarterly updates even if they are slightly late. You receive no points this year. By April 2027 you have a working system, a year of records, and zero catching up to do when full penalties begin.
Frequently asked questions
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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