Spring Budget 2020 – VAT

It has been confirmed that the taxable turnover threshold, that determines whether businesses should be registered for VAT, will be frozen at £85,000 until 31 March 2022. The taxable turnover threshold that determines whether businesses can apply for...

Zero-rating supplies of building materials

The VAT treatment of land and property is one of the most complex areas of the VAT legislation. Under certain situations, supplies of building materials can be zero-rated or reduced-rated at 5% for VAT. For the supplies of building materials to be zero-rated or...

VAT – option to tax

There are special VAT rules that allow businesses to standard rate the supply of most non-residential and commercial land and buildings (known as the option to tax). This means that subsequent supplies by the person making the option to tax will be subject to VAT at...

VAT-free shopping

There is a special VAT refund scheme called the VAT Retail Export Scheme or Tax-Free Shopping that allows individuals not resident in the EU to obtain a VAT refund on goods bought in the UK and taken out of the EU. The scheme does not apply to services, for example...

VAT – the concept of business

The VAT system is policed by HMRC and there are penalties for breaches of the legislation. There are four conditions that must be satisfied in order for an activity to be within the scope of UK VAT. These conditions are that the activity: Is a supply of goods or...