Your tax return. Your way.
A.X.E.L builds your Self Assessment from the records you already keep, checks every figure before it goes, and files it straight to HMRC with your own Government Gateway login. No accountant needed for most sole traders.
Do It Yourself
You're in control
A.X.E.L guides you through every section of your Self Assessment — income, expenses, CIS deductions, property income — step by step. Review your numbers, check the summary, and submit directly to HMRC when you're ready.
- ✓Step-by-step guided workflow
- ✓Auto-populated from your A.X.E.L data
- ✓Income, expenses & CIS deductions calculated
- ✓Real-time validation before submission
- ✓Submit directly to HMRC
- ✓Amend and resubmit anytime
How it works
Run your business in A.X.E.L
Track income, expenses, CIS deductions, and jobs throughout the year. A.X.E.L keeps everything organised automatically.
Review your draft return
When tax season comes, A.X.E.L pre-populates your Self Assessment from your data. Check the numbers, add anything extra.
File it with HMRC
Submit straight to HMRC with your own Government Gateway login, or download the return as a PDF to file another way.
Making Tax Digital — What's Changing
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment means moving from one annual return to quarterly digital submissions to HMRC, followed by a final declaration at the end of the tax year.
Income over £50,000
Tradesmen and sole traders earning more than £50k will need to follow MTD ITSA from April 2026.
Income over £30,000
The next phase starts in April 2027 for those earning more than £30k.
What it means for tradesmen
Instead of one tax return per year, MTD introduces quarterly updates during the year, then a final declaration to complete everything at year end.
How A.X.E.L handles it
A.X.E.L tracks your income and expenses in real time all year, auto-generates quarterly submissions, and prepares your final declaration at the end of the year. If you're still on the traditional Self Assessment route, that stays supported too.
Questions
What is Making Tax Digital?
Making Tax Digital is HMRC's move toward digital record-keeping and more frequent tax reporting. For Income Tax Self Assessment, that means quarterly updates instead of relying only on one annual return.
Am I affected by MTD for Income Tax?
If your qualifying self-employed or property income is over £50,000, HMRC's MTD ITSA rules are due to apply from April 2026. If it's over £30,000, the next phase starts from April 2027.
Does A.X.E.L support quarterly MTD submissions?
Not yet for the 2026/27 tax year. HMRC closed new production access for MTD for Income Tax software on 10 August 2026 and reopens applications for 2027/28 in early 2027. A.X.E.L keeps your records in the digital, MTD-compatible format HMRC requires and files traditional Self Assessment returns today. If you must send 2026/27 quarterly updates, use HMRC-recognised software such as Xero or QuickBooks through our integrations, and we will add direct quarterly filing as soon as HMRC grants access.
What if I've already started filing elsewhere?
No problem. You can import your data into A.X.E.L and pick up where you left off. The platform works with any starting point.
Do I need a UTR number?
Yes, to file with HMRC. If you don't have one yet, you register directly with HMRC for free and usually get it within 72 hours. Here is how.
When can I file?
Self Assessment for the 2025/26 tax year opens in April 2026. You can prepare your return in A.X.E.L anytime — it'll be ready to submit the moment HMRC opens.
Useful tax calculators
Estimate your tax position faster with the tools most tradesmen use before filing.
CIS Tax Calculator
Check CIS deductions, estimated refunds, and what your tax position could look like before you file.
Open calculator →Self-Employed Tax Calculator
Estimate income tax and National Insurance from your self-employed earnings in a few steps.
Open calculator →VAT Calculator
Add or remove VAT quickly when pricing jobs, checking invoices, or reviewing costs.
Open calculator →Ready to sort your tax return?
Start your 14-day free trial. Your Self Assessment tools are included from day one.
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