The Submissions screen is where you send your Making Tax Digital for Income Tax updates to HMRC for a business. You can see what is due, when you can send it, and what you have already filed.
Note: "Obligations" is now "Submissions" (November 2026 release)
In the November 2026 release, the Obligations menu item and screen were renamed Submissions. The screen is now titled HMRC Submissions.
Older videos, articles and screenshots may still call it "Obligations". It is the same screen, found in the same place in the left-hand menu. If you see "Obligations" in older material, read it as "Submissions".
The screen also has a few new features, described below.
Opening the screen
- Select your business.
- In the left-hand menu, choose Submissions.
The screen has three sections:
| Section | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Quarterly Updates | Your four quarterly updates for the tax year. |
| Annual Declaration | Your end-of-year declaration. |
| Additional Submissions | Optional extra submissions, such as a Year to Date update. |
Use the refresh icon next to Quarterly Updates or Annual Declaration to reload that section.
Quarterly Updates
This grid lists each quarterly update HMRC expects from you.
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Start Date | The first day covered by the update. |
| End Date | The last day covered by the update. |
| Due Date | The date HMRC needs the update by. |
| Received Date | The date HMRC received your update, if you have filed it. |
| Status | Where the update is up to (see below). |
| Actions | The Submit link, when available. |
Updates are cumulative. Each update covers everything from the start of the tax year up to the end of that quarter, so the Start Date is the same for all four quarters.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning | Can I submit? |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming | It is too early to file this update. | No. Submit is greyed out. |
| Ready to File | The submission window is open and the due date has not passed. | Yes |
| Due | The due date has passed and the update has not been filed. | Yes. File it as soon as you can. |
| Filed | HMRC has received this update. | Not needed. No Submit link is shown. |
When can I submit?
You can submit an update from 10 days before its due date. For example, if the due date is 10 November 2026, Submit becomes available on 31 October 2026. It stays available after the due date until the update is filed.
Before then, the status shows Upcoming and Submit is greyed out. Hover over it to see why.
Submitting a quarterly update
- In Quarterly Updates, find the update with the status Ready to File or Due.
- Select Submit.
- Review the income and expenses summary that opens.
- Confirm the submission.
After a successful submission, the grid refreshes and the update shows as Filed.
Annual Declaration
This grid shows your end-of-year declaration. Submitting the annual declaration from this screen is not yet available, so the Submit link is greyed out.
Additional Submissions
This section holds optional submissions that are not one of your required quarterly updates.
Year to Date update
HMRC lets you send your income and expenses for the year so far, in addition to your quarterly updates. This is optional.
- The Start Date is the start of the current tax year (6 April).
- The End Date is today's date.
- The row is labelled Year to Date.
- Due Date and Received Date show NA, because it is not a required update.
- Status shows Available, and Submit is always available.
To send a Year to Date update, select Submit on that row and follow the same steps as for a quarterly update.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Submit greyed out? The update is still Upcoming. Submit becomes available 10 days before the due date.
Why is there no Submit link on a row? The update is already Filed.
Do I have to send a Year to Date update? No. It is optional. Your quarterly updates are what HMRC requires.
Where did "Obligations" go? It was renamed Submissions in the November 2026 release. It is the same screen in the same place in the menu.