Meter Max

Guides › Guide 8

Connect to HMRC and send updates

If HMRC says you must use Making Tax Digital, Meter Max can send your quarterly updates and your Final Declaration for you. Here's how, one step at a time.

Do I need this?

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is joining in stages. You need it if your self-employed income (plus any income from renting property) was over:

  • £50,000: from 6 April 2026;
  • £30,000: from April 2027;
  • £20,000: from April 2028.

HMRC normally writes to tell you. Meter Max also checks for you: tap Tax › MTD to see your income compared with the limits.

If you don't need Making Tax Digital yet, you can still use Meter Max to keep your books and work out your tax. Skip this guide for now.

What you need

  • Your Government Gateway user ID and password, the ones you use for your HMRC online account.
  • Your National Insurance number.
  • An internet connection.
  • We strongly recommend setting up an authenticator app first. Meter Max asks for a code from it before sending anything to HMRC, which keeps your tax account safe.

Get ready

  1. Turn on quarterly updates

    Tap the gear icon (top right) to open Settings. In the MTD for Income Tax box, tick I need to send quarterly updates. Leave the quarterly periods as they are unless you've told HMRC you use calendar quarters. Tap Save.

  2. Add your National Insurance number

    Still in Settings, in Your details, type your National Insurance number and tap Save details.

Connect to HMRC

  1. Tap Connect to HMRC

    In Settings, scroll to HMRC connection and tap Connect to HMRC. HMRC's own sign-in page opens in your web browser.

  2. Sign in on HMRC's website

    Type your Government Gateway user ID and password, and enter the security code HMRC sends you. Then agree to let Meter Max work with your tax account.

    Your password is safe You're typing it on HMRC's website (the address starts with gov.uk), not in Meter Max. We never see it.

  3. Back to Meter Max

    Your phone returns to Meter Max and shows "Connected to HMRC".

    In the MTD for Income Tax box, tap Read from HMRC to fill in your HMRC business id automatically, then tap Save.

  4. Check you're ready

    Tap Tax at the bottom, then MTD. The checklist should show ticks for your National Insurance number, HMRC business id and Connected to HMRC.

Send a quarterly update

You send one update for each three months of the tax year. The Home screen shows when one is Due. You have about a month after each quarter ends.

  1. Make sure your records are up to date

    Add all the takings, expenses and miles for that quarter first.

  2. Open the quarter

    Tap Tax then MTD. Under Quarterly updates, tap the quarter marked Ready to send or Due.

  3. Check the figures

    You'll see your Income to date, Expenses to date and Profit to date, and a table of exactly what will be sent. The figures are for the tax year so far, not just this quarter. That's how HMRC wants them.

    If your turnover is under £90,000 you can tick Send expenses as one total to keep it simple.

  4. Send it

    Tap Send to HMRC, check the message, and tap Send. If asked, type the code from your authenticator app.

    When HMRC confirms, the quarter is marked Sent. That's it until next quarter. An update isn't a tax bill; it just keeps HMRC up to date.

Spotted a mistake after sending? Fix the entry, open the quarter again and tap Send again to HMRC. Updates are for the year so far, so your next one also corrects it.

Final Declaration (after the tax year ends)

After 5 April, once all four quarters are sent, you confirm your year is complete. This replaces the old tax return and is due by 31 January.

  1. Answer "Anything else?"

    Tap Tax › Tax year. In Anything else in 2026-27? tick anything that applies to you, such as income from renting a property. If nothing applies, tap None of these apply — or save what I ticked.

    If you ticked something Meter Max can't handle, it shows Find software that can to help you find other software for that part.

  2. Add other income and pensions

    In Other income this year, add pay from any job, savings interest or dividends, or tap Read pay and tax from HMRC. Add any pension payments too.

  3. Get HMRC's calculation

    In Final Declaration, tap Send to HMRC. Meter Max goes through the steps, then tap Send and get HMRC's calculation. HMRC shows the tax you owe.

  4. Declare

    Read the declaration carefully. If everything is right, tap I agree — declare. If you want to check something first, tap Not now.

    Remember to pay the tax you owe by 31 January. Meter Max doesn't take payments. Pay HMRC through your HMRC online account or bank.

Filed another way?

If you sent an update or return using HMRC's website or an accountant, open it in Meter Max and tap Record as sent another way (or Record as filed another way). Add the date and reference, and tap Record. Meter Max will then show it as done.

Disconnecting You can remove the connection at any time: Settings › HMRC connection › Disconnect. HMRC also asks you to sign in again every 18 months.