New VAT Registration process for agents
A new VAT registration process known as the VAT Registration Service or VRS was made available to agents from 1 August 2022. The VRS had been in testing mode for the previous 18 months and was used by over 37,000 businesses to successfully register for VAT.
One of the key changes with using the VRS
VAT Flat Rate scheme
Using the VAT Flat Rate scheme, businesses pay VAT as a fixed percentage of their VAT inclusive turnover. The actual percentage used depends on the type of business. The scheme has been designed to simplify the way a business accounts for VAT and in so doing reduce the administration costs of
Final warning to use MTD for VAT
The Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT regime started in April 2019 when businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold of £85,000 became mandated to keep their records digitally and provide their VAT return information to HMRC using MTD compatible software.
In April 2022, MTD for VAT was
How the VAT Reverse Charge works
The VAT domestic reverse charge accounting mechanism was put in place to help prevent criminal attacks on the UK VAT system by means of sophisticated fraud.
UK businesses receiving certain specified goods and services are liable to account for UK VAT, by way of the domestic reverse charge
Statutory interest
Taxpayers that are owed VAT repayments by HMRC are entitled to claim statutory interest under certain circumstances. Where this is the case, a claim should be made in writing to HMRC. VATA s78 (11) requires all claims for statutory interest to be made within four years of the end of the applicable
Transfer of business as a going concern
The transfer of a business as a going concern (TOGC) rules concern the VAT liability on the sale of a business. Normally the sale of the assets of a VAT registered or VAT registerable business will be subject to VAT at the appropriate rate.
Where the sale of a business includes assets and meets
VAT Capital Goods Scheme
The VAT Capital Goods Scheme (CGS) is a means of adjusting the initial VAT recovery in respect of certain assets over either 5 or 10 years. The scheme seeks to agree a fair and reasonable attribution of VAT to taxable supplies and non-taxable supplies relating to the use of an asset over its
Overseas seller VAT check
Since 2018, online marketplaces (such as eBay or Amazon) have been required to help tackle online VAT fraud. These measures, known as joint and several liability (JSL) for marketplaces aim to ensure that all businesses selling goods in the UK follow the same rules and pay the correct amount of
VAT Flat Rate Scheme
The VAT Flat Rate Scheme (FRS) has been designed to simplify the way a business accounts for VAT and in so doing reduce the administration costs of complying with the VAT legislation. The scheme is open to businesses that expect their annual taxable turnover in the next 12 months to be no more than
VAT and food supplies
HMRC’s VAT Notice 701/14: food explains what types of foods are zero rated and standard rated for VAT. The notice includes many examples of different food categories. The notice covers some general VAT liability rules. For example, food supplied in the course of catering is standard rated for VAT.