Meanwhile the shambolic implementation of the programme continues apace. More than a third of HMRC-approved software for Making Tax Digital (MTD) is not capable of handling end-of-year tax returns. So the self-employed can buy HMRC-approved software which will handle four of the five needed returns but not the fifth. William Holden of tax adviser Blick Rothenberg said the MTD burden was already pushing some to leave the workforce altogether. He added: "MTD is another administration burden for landlords and sole traders that's also eating into profitability. We've had clients saying they'll sell their property rather than deal with yet another headache. It's not what you need in a growing economy."

Almost half of all sole traders want HMRC's Making Tax Digital programme to be ditched, a Centre for Policy Studies survey has revealed. 44% want it scrapped entirely while 14% are prepared for it to go ahead with changes and a minuscule 10% are happy for it to proceed as planned. The Government and HMRC have totally failed to gain the confidence of the self-employed. Forcing the self-employed to file five tax returns each year is an obvious idiocy and it is no wonder that they are upset. 1/2