Manchester business owners struggling with the upcoming Making Tax Digital deadline can swap summer tax stress for a free ice cream treat this week.

Business management platform Tide is bringing its “Making Tax Delicious” campaign to Manchester city centre, with an ice cream van offering free scoops on New Cathedral Street on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 July.

Alongside the free ice cream, Tide experts will be on hand to help sole traders and landlords understand the switch to Making Tax Digital and provide guidance on completing their first digital tax submission.

The initiative comes as new research from Tide reveals that almost a third (29%) of qualifying business owners in the North West have still not signed up with HMRC for Making Tax Digital, despite the first filing deadline approaching on Friday 7 August.

Free Ice Cream Flavours With A Tax Twist Arrive In Manchester

The Tide ice cream van will be serving up a range of tax-inspired flavours, including ‘VATnilla’, ‘PAYE-stachio’ and ‘Self Assess-mint’, alongside a ‘Declare your Hundreds and Thousands’ topping.

The pop-up aims to bring some summer fun to what can be a stressful period for business owners, while also helping traders understand the changes coming to the UK tax system.

Tide experts will be available throughout both days to answer questions about Making Tax Digital and help business owners prepare for the new requirements.

Making Tax Digital represents one of the biggest changes to the UK tax system in more than 30 years.

The new system requires qualifying sole traders and landlords to keep digital records and submit tax information to HMRC using compatible software instead of relying on traditional paper-based or manual submissions.

The first phase applies to sole traders and landlords with annual revenues above the £50,000 qualifying threshold, with the first filing deadline taking place on Friday 7 August 2026.

However, Tide’s research suggests many business owners remain unsure about what the changes mean for them.

More than one in five business owners (22%) admitted they were unaware the deadline was approaching, while 85% said they did not know how often they would need to file once Making Tax Digital begins.

Under the new system, business owners will need to submit information to HMRC five times a year, including four quarterly updates and one final annual submission.

North West Business Owners Among Those Least Prepared For Digital Tax Changes

Tide’s research found that 29% of qualifying business owners in the North West have not yet signed up with HMRC for Making Tax Digital, higher than the UK average of 25%.

The findings suggest many small business owners are facing uncertainty as they prepare for the new process, with concerns around the additional administration required.

Almost half (44%) of business owners surveyed said they expect to spend time during normal working hours dealing with Making Tax Digital-related admin, while 32% said they may need to complete tasks during their time off.

Overall, sole traders and landlords expect the new requirements to take around six full days of their time over the next year.

Tide’s Manchester pop-up forms part of a wider campaign to support business owners ahead of the Making Tax Digital deadline, with similar events also taking place in London and Brighton.

George Schmidt, CEO UK/Europe at Tide, said:

“No one wants to be thinking about tax over summer, but we can’t escape the fact that Making Tax Digital is here and the first deadline is just days away.

“The first wave of business owners need to ensure they are signed up with HMRC and file on time, to avoid penalties that accumulate with each missed deadline.

“It is a worry that so many still aren’t ready for the switch, but we hope that over the coming days we can raise awareness, spread some joy and importantly, help people to make their first submission, so they can get on with enjoying their summer.”

The Tide ice cream van will be available on New Cathedral Street, Manchester, on Monday 20 July and Tuesday 21 July, offering free ice cream and advice for local business owners.

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