Checked against GOV.UK on 14 August 2026
7 February is the third quarterly update deadline. It lands a week after the 31 January tax return deadline, which is the single most common source of confusion in the MTD year.
| Update periods you use | Period covered |
|---|---|
| Standard (accounting period ends 5 April) | 6 April to 5 January |
| Calendar (accounting period ends 31 March) | 1 April to 31 December |
They belong to different tax years. On 31 January you submit the tax return for the tax year that ended the previous April. On 7 February you send a quarterly update for the tax year currently running. In the first MTD year that means filing a 2025 to 2026 return the ordinary way on 31 January 2027, and sending a 2026 to 2027 quarterly update on 7 February 2027 — two different jobs, six days apart.
A late tax return and a late quarterly update each attract their own penalty point under the new points system, and £200 is charged when you reach four points. For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, quarterly updates carry no penalty points — late tax returns still do.
General information about UK tax rules, not tax advice. Your own circumstances and HMRC's official guidance govern your position. If you are unsure, speak to an accountant or contact HMRC. Tax rules change — if this page is more than a few months old, check the GOV.UK pages linked above. Found an error? Email hello@getaxionlabs.com and we will correct it.