Cuppa for Tradespeople:
Bookkeeping Without the Hassle

You are good at your trade. You are probably not as enthusiastic about bookkeeping. Most self-employed plumbers, electricians, builders, and other tradespeople would rather be on a job than wrestling with accounting software.

Cuppa is a simple app for recording your income and expenses and staying on top of your tax. It works on your phone, takes minutes a week, and handles your HMRC quarterly submissions when you need them.

Why tradespeople need digital bookkeeping now

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts in April 2026 for sole traders with qualifying income above £50,000. In April 2027, the threshold drops to £30,000. If you are a busy tradesperson, you likely meet or will soon meet one of those thresholds.

That means keeping digital records and submitting quarterly updates to HMRC using compatible software. A shoebox of receipts and a spreadsheet will no longer be enough.

The good news: it does not have to be complicated. Cuppa does exactly what is needed, without the complexity of full accounting platforms.

What makes Cuppa right for tradespeople

Cuppa was built for sole traders, not accountancy firms. That means:

• Works on your phone. Log a materials purchase from the van. Record a payment on site. No laptop required.
• Simple to use. If you can send a text message, you can use Cuppa. No accounting knowledge needed.
• Fast. No loading screens, no slow dashboards. Open the app, add an entry, done.
• Plain English. No accounting jargon. Income in, expenses out, here is what you owe.
• HMRC submissions. When the quarter ends, Cuppa Pro submits your numbers directly to HMRC.

A typical week with Cuppa

Bookkeeping with Cuppa takes about 10 minutes a week:

1. At the end of each week (or day, if you prefer), open Cuppa on your phone.
2. Record payments received for completed jobs.
3. Log expenses: materials, fuel, tool purchases, anything you spent on the business.
4. Done. Your running tax estimate updates automatically.

When the quarter ends, your records are already in order. No last-minute scramble. No stressful catch-up sessions. If you are on Cuppa Pro, submitting to HMRC takes a couple of taps.

Common expenses for tradespeople

Self-employed tradespeople can claim a wide range of business expenses. Here are the most common:

• Materials. Timber, plumbing fittings, electrical components, paint, plaster, screws, adhesives. Anything you buy for a job.
• Tools and equipment. Hand tools, power tools, ladders, scaffolding hire, PPE. For high-value items, check HMRC's capital allowance rules.
• Vehicle costs. Fuel, van insurance, MOT, servicing, repairs. You can use HMRC's simplified mileage rate or claim actual costs.
• Travel. Parking, congestion charges, tolls.
• Workwear. Protective clothing, safety boots, high-vis vests (must be specific to work, not everyday clothing).
• Insurance. Public liability, professional indemnity, tool insurance, van insurance.
• Phone. Business proportion of your phone contract.
• Professional fees. Trade body memberships, certifications, course fees (Gas Safe, NICEIC, etc.).
• Subcontractor costs. If you hire other tradespeople for specific jobs, those are deductible.
• Waste disposal. Skip hire, tip runs, waste transfer notes.

Record all of these in Cuppa and they will be included in your quarterly HMRC submissions automatically.

No more shoebox of receipts

Many tradespeople have been keeping receipts in a drawer, carrier bag, or the back of the van for years. That approach has worked for annual self-assessment, but MTD requires digital records throughout the year.

Cuppa replaces the shoebox. Each time you buy materials or receive a payment, spend 30 seconds adding it to the app. Your records build up over the week and your tax position stays clear.

It is a small change to your routine that saves hours of stress later.

What Cuppa costs

Cuppa has a free tier that includes unlimited income and expense tracking, tax estimates, and CSV export.

Cuppa Pro costs £4.50 per month or £45 per year. Pro unlocks quarterly HMRC submissions for Making Tax Digital compliance.

Both amounts are deductible business expenses. Less than the cost of a box of decent screws.

Getting started

1. Create a free account at cuppa.tax.
2. Start recording your income and expenses as they happen.
3. Check your tax estimate to see what to set aside.
4. When you need MTD, upgrade to Pro and connect to HMRC.

No paperwork. No phone calls. No accountant appointment. Just open the app and start recording.