Provide a free, state-funded software portal for Making Tax Digital (MTD)

Rejected 13 signatures

What the petition asks

We call on the Government to instruct HMRC to build a free digital portal for Making Tax Digital (MTD). Access to a mandated state tax system should be free to all citizens and not conditional on private software subscriptions.

From April 2026, HMRC's Making Tax Digital rules mandate digital reporting for sole traders. However, unlike Self Assessment, HMRC provides no free public portal for these submissions, forcing citizens to buy private software subscriptions.

Existing commercial "free" tiers are highly restrictive—capping monthly transactions or limiting users to a single bank feed. This forces small business owners to pay a private corporate "software tax" simply to fulfil a statutory legal duty.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

You may wish to sign this open petition:

'Create a government-owned, free software for Making Tax Digital (MTD)'
Create a government-owned, free software for Making Tax Digital (MTD)

Timeline

2 Jun 2026	Petition opened for signatures
1 Jul 2026	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 13

Status Rejected

Department HM Treasury

Rejected 1 Jul 2026

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