If you have been reading about Making Tax Digital, you may have come across references to the End of Period Statement — usually called EOPS. EOPS has been abolished. HMRC removed it as a separate submission step and merged its function into the Final Declaration.
This is good news. It means one fewer submission to worry about at year-end. Here is what changed, what EOPS used to be, and what you actually need to do under the current MTD rules.
What Was the End of Period Statement?
When MTD for Income Tax was first designed, the submission process had three stages:
- Four quarterly updates throughout the tax year (income and expenses)
- End of Period Statement (EOPS) — a year-end sign-off confirming that your figures for each income source were complete and correct
- Final Declaration — confirming your overall tax position across all income sources
The EOPS was essentially a per-source confirmation. If you had one self-employment and one rental property, you would have submitted two separate EOPS — one for each income source — before your Final Declaration.
Why Was EOPS Abolished?
HMRC simplified the year-end process by merging the EOPS function into the Final Declaration. Rather than requiring a separate sign-off for each income source followed by an overall declaration, the Final Declaration now handles both in a single step.
The practical effect is that you confirm your per-source figures and your overall tax position together, rather than in two separate submissions.
What You Now Submit Under MTD
The current MTD submission process for each tax year is:
| Submission | When | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 quarterly update | 7 August 2026 | Income and expenses for 6 Apr – 5 Jul |
| Q2 quarterly update | 7 November 2026 | Income and expenses for 6 Jul – 5 Oct |
| Q3 quarterly update | 7 February 2027 | Income and expenses for 6 Oct – 5 Jan |
| Q4 quarterly update | 7 May 2027 | Income and expenses for 6 Jan – 5 Apr |
| Final Declaration | 31 January 2028 | Confirms all figures for the year + overall tax position |
There is no separate EOPS step. The Final Declaration is the only year-end submission.
What Happens in the Final Declaration?
The Final Declaration is where you:
- Confirm your income and expenses for each income source are complete and correct (this is what the EOPS used to cover)
- Make any year-end adjustments — capital allowances, stock adjustments, disallowable expenses, overlap relief
- Add any non-business income — employment, dividends, savings interest
- Claim reliefs and allowances — personal allowance, marriage allowance, pension contributions
- See your calculated tax bill for the year
Your MTD software will pull in the figures from your quarterly updates automatically. You review them, make any adjustments, and submit.
Do I Need an Accountant for the Final Declaration?
Not necessarily. If your finances are straightforward — a single self-employment with no complex adjustments — your MTD software will prepare the Final Declaration from your quarterly data. You review and submit.
If you have complex adjustments — capital allowances on expensive equipment, overlap relief, losses to carry forward, or multiple income sources — this is where an accountant adds most value. Many sole traders handle quarterly updates themselves and bring in an accountant for the Final Declaration.
ClearMTD handles the quarterly updates and will guide you through the Final Declaration when the time comes.
What Happens If I Miss the Final Declaration Deadline?
The Final Declaration deadline is 31 January after the end of the tax year — the same as the old Self Assessment deadline. For the 2026/27 tax year, this means 31 January 2028.
HMRC's points-based penalty system applies to late submissions:
- You receive a penalty point for each late submission
- After accumulating a threshold number of points, you receive a £200 penalty
- There is also a late payment penalty based on how late you pay
During the first year (2026/27), HMRC has confirmed a soft landing period where they will not penalise late quarterly updates — but the Final Declaration deadline is still expected to be enforced normally.
If You See EOPS Referenced Elsewhere
Many guides, blog posts, and even some software providers still reference EOPS as a current requirement. If you see a guide that lists the submission process as "quarterly updates → EOPS → Final Declaration", it is out of date. The correct process is quarterly updates → Final Declaration.
Getting Ready
The Final Declaration will not be due until January 2028, but the quarterly updates that feed into it start from April 2026. Getting your MTD software set up early means your Final Declaration will be straightforward — it is just confirming numbers you have already been submitting.
Check if MTD applies to you with our free MTD checker, then sign up for ClearMTD to start keeping your records digitally. For a full list of deadlines for the 2026/27 tax year, see our dedicated guide.
