Missed the 7th? You can still file today. Every late VAT return adds a penalty point, and hitting HMRC's threshold triggers a £200 charge. Filing now stops the next point landing. Next deadline: 7 August 2026 (tomorrow).

MTD VAT Bridging Software

VAT bridging software for last-minute VAT returns

Deadline in a few days and your figures are still in a spreadsheet? Download our HMRC template, fill in your nine boxes, upload it, and file. £2 per submission — no subscription, no migration, no accountant.

Start my VAT returnSee pricing

HMRC-recognised MTD software · £2 per submission · Pay only when you file

Get the free HMRC VAT template

You'll need your figures and a laptop to file. We'll email you the template so it's ready when you are.

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1. Connect to HMRC

Sign in once with your Government Gateway ID. We pull your open VAT periods straight from HMRC, so you file against the right one instead of guessing the dates.

2. Download the template

One spreadsheet, nine boxes, each labelled with exactly the figure HMRC expects. Fill in the Value column from your own records — nothing to learn, nothing to set up.

3. Fill in and upload

Upload the completed file and your figures land in the return. Boxes 3 and 5 calculate themselves. No retyping, and no chance of a transposed digit between spreadsheet and form.

4. Pay £2 and submit

Pay for the one submission, file it directly to HMRC, and get your receipt back. The period is closed at HMRC and stored in your filing history.

Keep your spreadsheet — the digital link is built in

Making Tax Digital does not require you to abandon Excel. It requires a digital link between your records and your return, which is exactly what an upload gives you.

  • Your nine boxes are populated from the uploaded file, not typed in by hand
  • That unbroken digital link is what makes the submission compliant under VAT Notice 700/22
  • Direct editing of the boxes is disabled on purpose — a manual override would break the link
  • Figures are validated on import, so a stray letter or a shifted row is rejected rather than silently filed as zero

Built for the last-minute filer

Most VAT software assumes you will spend a weekend migrating your books first. This does not. If your figures are ready, you can be filed before the kettle boils.

  • No data migration, no chart of accounts, no opening balances
  • No bank feed to connect and no transactions to categorise
  • Your open obligation periods come straight from HMRC, so you cannot file against the wrong quarter
  • Nothing to cancel afterwards — you have not started a subscription

£2 a return, not £20 a month

You are filing four times a year. Paying a monthly subscription for a quarterly task is how spreadsheet bookkeepers end up spending hundreds of pounds a year on nine numbers.

  • £2 per submission, charged only when you actually file
  • No card stored, no recurring charge, no minimum term
  • File once a year or twelve times a year — you pay for what you use
  • If you later want full bookkeeping, invoicing and payroll, the same account upgrades to a plan from £5/month

Your records stay yours

We submit your return and hand you the receipt. We do not keep your spreadsheet, and we are clear about what you remain responsible for.

  • AccLedger does not store the file you upload
  • You keep your completed template and the underlying invoices and receipts
  • HMRC requires you to retain VAT records for six years under VAT Notice 700/22
  • Submissions go through the official HMRC MTD endpoint with OAuth2 and the required fraud-prevention headers

How AccLedger compares

CapabilityAccLedgerTypical bridging tool
Price per VAT return£2£10–30
Subscription required
Open VAT periods pulled from HMRC
Digital link compliant (VAT Notice 700/22)
Figures validated before submission
Upgrade path to full bookkeepingFrom £5/monthSeparate product
Uploaded file stored on their serversNoUsually

Frequently asked questions

What is VAT bridging software?
Bridging software connects spreadsheet-based VAT records to HMRC. Since Making Tax Digital, you cannot type your figures into the HMRC website any more — the return has to arrive through software, with a digital link back to your records. Bridging software provides that link without forcing you to replace your spreadsheet with a full accounting system.
Is AccLedger MTD compliant and recognised by HMRC?
Yes. Submissions go through the official HMRC Making Tax Digital VAT API using OAuth2 authentication and the fraud-prevention headers HMRC requires. Your VAT period is closed at HMRC and a receipt is returned to you.
Can I keep using my own spreadsheet?
Yes — that is the entire point. Keep your records wherever they are today. You download our template, copy your nine figures into the Value column, and upload it. Your own spreadsheet never leaves your computer.
How much does it cost?
£2 per VAT return submitted. There is no subscription, no minimum term and no card stored. You pay at the point of filing and nothing else.
When is my VAT return due?
For most businesses, one calendar month and seven days after the end of the VAT period — which is why VAT deadlines land on the 7th. Your exact dates depend on your stagger group and whether you file quarterly, monthly or annually. AccLedger reads your actual open obligations directly from HMRC once you connect, so you file against the right period.
Do I need a subscription or a free trial?
No. Create an account, choose the ad-hoc VAT submission option, and pay £2 when you file. If you later decide you want invoicing, payroll or full bookkeeping, plans start at £5/month, but nothing obliges you to move.
What are digital links, and why can I not just type the figures in?
Under VAT Notice 700/22, the figures you send to HMRC must be linked digitally to the records behind them, without manual retyping. That is why our nine boxes are populated from your uploaded file and direct editing is switched off — typing over an imported figure would break the digital link and the submission would no longer be compliant.
How late can I file a VAT return?
You can file after the deadline has passed — HMRC keeps the obligation open until the return is submitted. Filing late is still far better than not filing, because the penalty for a missing return continues to build while the deadline for the next period approaches.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
HMRC operates a points-based system. Each late submission adds one penalty point, and once you reach the threshold for your filing frequency — 2 points for annual, 4 for quarterly, 5 for monthly — HMRC charges a £200 penalty, plus a further £200 for each late submission after that. Late payment penalties and interest are charged separately from late submission points.

Explore more

MTD VAT software

The full VAT module — returns calculated from your own bookkeeping rather than a spreadsheet upload.

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Pricing

Ad-hoc VAT from £2 a submission, or full plans from £5/month for sole traders, landlords and limited companies.

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SAP MTD VAT integration

Running SAP? Push VAT figures from ECC, S/4HANA or Business One straight to HMRC.

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For sole traders

Self assessment, expenses and MTD ITSA for the self-employed, once a spreadsheet is no longer enough.

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File your VAT return in the next ten minutes

Create an account, connect to HMRC, upload your figures and submit. £2, paid only when you file.

Start my VAT returnSee pricing

HMRC-recognised MTD software · £2 per submission · Pay only when you file