Home » Posts tagged 'VAT' (Page 3)
Tag Archives: VAT
VAT Returns may soon be monthly…
From January 2017 the European Commission would like to make VAT returns monthly in all member states. Currently most UK businesses file quarterly, they only file monthly if they get regular refunds.
The European Commission see this as cutting red tape, but I am not sure how going from 4 returns to 12 returns cuts red tape?
The Commission say they have received complaints from companies who do business across Europe about confusion over the frequency of returns.
The EC is hoping to introduce a single format return, with just five mandatory boxes. This will include:
- input VAT;
- output VAT;
- net VAT payable;
- value of input transactions; and
- value of output transactions.
and there could be a concession for small businesses allowing them to continue to do quarterly returns.
Do you think monthly returns would be better or worse for UK Business?
steve@bicknells.net
Are you coding your VAT entries correctly?
When you enter transactions its important to use the right tax code otherwise your VAT returns are likely to either need adjustment or contain errors, but often when entering transactions your software won’t tell you what the codes mean, here is a list of Sage codes:
| T0 | Zero rated transactions |
| T1 | Standard rate |
| T2 | Exempt transactions |
| T4 | Sales of goods to VAT registered customers in EC |
| T5 | Lower rate |
| T7 | Zero-rated purchases of goods from suppliers in EC |
| T8 | Standard-rated purchases of goods from suppliers in EC |
| T9 | Transactions not involving VAT |
| T20 | Sales and purchases of reverse charges |
| T22 | Sales of services to VAT registered customers in EC |
| T23 | Zero-rated purchases of services from suppliers in EC |
| T24 | Standard-rated purchases of services from suppliers in EC |
| T25 | Flat rate accounting scheme, purchase and sale of individual capital items > £2,000 |
There are different rates of VAT, depending on the type of goods or services your business provides. At the moment there are three different rates. They are:
- standard rate – 20 per cent
- reduced rate – 5 per cent
- zero rate – 0 per cent
You can check which rate to use on the HMRC Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/forms-rates/rates/rates.htm
UK supplier who aren’t VAT registered would use T9 in Sage.
steve@bicknells.net
How long does it take to register for VAT?
It currently takes around a month for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to process applications for VAT registration, although it can take longer if they need to carry out additional checks.
GOV.UK say it could take as little as 14 working days.
HMRC aims to process 70 per cent of applications within 10 working days and most are processed within a month.
But there are cases where it can take a lot longer, possibly even 6 months.
Between applying for VAT registration and receiving your VAT registration number, you must still account for and pay any VAT due. You become liable for VAT from the date you must be registered or asked for your voluntary registration to start, not the date that you actually apply for registration or the date you receive your VAT registration number.
You may also reclaim any VAT you pay on your purchases from the date you must be registered, so you must also keep records of any invoices where your suppliers have charged you VAT.
Until you receive your VAT registration number you must not charge VAT, or show VAT on your invoices. To make sure that you do not lose income in the period after you applied for VAT registration but before you receive your VAT registration number, you should increase your prices by an amount equivalent to the VAT rate relevant for your goods or services, and explain to your customers why you are doing so.
Once you receive your VAT registration number you can then reissue those invoices, amended to show your VAT registration number and the VAT charged. This will make sure that your VAT-registered customers may reclaim the VAT that they have paid.
From a business perspective this is messy, you have to ask you customers to pay 20% extra on the promise that you will later give them a credit and a vat invoice so that they can reclaim the VAT!
I think HMRC should give this some thought, perhaps VAT registration could be fast tracked or done instantly by phone or online?
steve@bicknells.net
VAT Simplified Invoices
HMRC have released an update this month to their notice on Keeping VAT records. One of these changes relates to VAT simplified invoices which were introduced earlier this year as part of the simplification and harmonisation of VAT rules in the EU. Previously only retailers were exempt from providing full VAT invoices to unregistered businesses.
However the changes mean that any business issuing VAT invoices for £250 or less (including VAT) can issue simplified invoices.
What to include in a simplified invoice:
Your name, address and VAT registration number
The time of supply (date)
A description which identifies the goods or services supplied
The each VAT rate charged, the amount of VAT charged.
How does a simplified invoice differ from a full VAT invoice:
In addition, a full VAT invoice must include:
A sequential number based on one or more series which uniquely identify the document
The date of issue (if different from the time of supply)
The name and address of the person to whom the goods or services are supplied
For each description, the quantity of the goods or the extent of the services, and the rate of VAT and the amount payable, excluding VAT, expressed in any currency
The gross total amount payable, excluding VAT, expressed in any currency
The rate of any cash discount offered
The total amount of VAT chargeable, expressed in sterling
The unit price
The reason for any zero rate of exemption.
VAT invoices over £250
If issuing VAT invoices over £250, a full invoice must still be issued or a modified VAT invoice showing VAT inclusive rather VAT exclusive values.
Rebecca Taylor ACMA
Are your businesses really separate for VAT purposes?
HMRC have been updating their manuals (21/10/13).
The purpose of VATDSAG01050 Single Entity and Disaggregation Manual is to help you to determine
- whether two (or more) apparently separate businesses are, in reality, a single entity
- whether, where two (or more) separate entities exist, they have been separated artificially.
Schedule 1,1A (2) of the VAT Act 1994 requires that, in determining whether any separation is artificial, due regard is had to the extent to which the different persons concerned are closely bound to one another by
- financial
- economic, and
- organisational links.
Schedule 1, 2(2) of the VAT Act 1994 lays down three conditions which must be met before we can issue a Notice of Direction to any person. These are:
- he is making or has made taxable supplies
- those taxable supplies form part of wider activities carried on concurrently or previously (or both) with one or more other persons
- the totality of the disaggregated activities gives rise to a liability to be VAT registered.
Here is a link to the updates http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/vatdsagmanual/index.htm
HMRC have some interesting cases, here is an example:
The case of Stephen and Angela Trippitt (MAN/00/0249) VTD 17340 addressed the question of whether a husband and wife could operate two businesses from the same premises.
In this case, the Tribunal decided that
- the traders had successfully separated the activities of public house and bed and breakfast into two separate entities
- we were incorrect in issuing a Notice of Direction.
The facts showed the extent of the commercial relationship between the entities, in addition to which Mrs Trippitt gave 35% of her takings to her husband.
The Tribunal was satisfied that this amount constituted a realistic, commercial, arm’s length contribution towards the value of the shared premises and telephone and utilities.
This decision means that where one entity argues that it pays a fixed percentage of its takings to the other, you need to establish:
- what would happen if there were no takings?
- would a minimal amount still have to be paid?
- if not, how does that entity see these arrangements as constituting a normal commercial relationship, given that it is at no financial risk?
- is there a real monetary transaction (as opposed to just the appearance of one in the books)? Can they provide evidence of this?
For more cases follow this link http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/vatdsagmanual/VATDSAG08100.htm
steve@bicknells.net
Tax Break for Racehorses
There are around 8,215 racehorse owners in the UK, ranging from gentry to plumbers united in their love of the sport.
But this is not an investment for the faint-hearted. You are unlikely to make a fortune and could end up losing a huge amount of money. The Racehorse Owners Association says that for every £100 of annual outlay (not including the purchase cost of the horse), a racehorse owner is likely to see a return of just £21.
As reported in the Telegraph (12th February 2013)
Some times it can pay off….
Rugby star Mike Tindall was branded an “idiot” by his wife Zara Phillips when he splashed out £12,000 on a racehorse.
But Mr Tindall is now looking far from stupid as his impulse purchase won last month’s Welsh National. Monbeg Dude, which Mr Tindall owns with four others, is now said to be worth more than £200,000.
VAT Tax Break for Racehorses
Following an agreement with the Thoroughbred Horseracing and Breeding Industry a scheme known as the VAT registration scheme for racehorse owners was introduced on 16 March 1993. If you meet the conditions of the scheme HMRC will accept that racehorse ownership is a business activity. You can therefore register for VAT and recover some of the VAT you are charged on your expenses as input tax.
Owners may include:
- breeders;
- dealers;
- trainers; and
- racing clubs.
You can apply for VAT registration under the scheme if you are registered as an owner at Weatherbys and you:
(a) own a horse or horses covered by a sponsorship agreement registered at Weatherbys; or
(b) own a horse or horses covered by a trainer’s sponsorship agreement registered at Weatherbys; or
(c) can show you have received, and will continue to receive, business income for example from appearance money or sponsored number cloths (SNC’s) from your horseracing activities.
You can recover as input tax the VAT you are charged on the purchase, training and upkeep of a racehorse and any overhead expenses used for the purpose of your business.
steve@bicknells.net
EU VAT B2C – e services to be vatable where they are consumed
At the moment all businesses supplying telecommunications, broadcasting and e-services such as downloaded ‘apps’, music, gaming, e-books and similar services to private consumers located in other EU Member States (referred to as ‘B2C’ supplies) are taxed where the business supplier is established, which is simple to understand and implement.
In the Finance Bill 2014 this will be changed and from 1st January 2015 VAT will be charged in the country where the customer has ‘use and enjoyment’ of the services.
So lets say you are an American (normally zero rated) on holiday in France, even though you pay with an American credit card and buy from a UK supplier because you are reading your ebook in France, French VAT will apply. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it.
To help with this HMRC are introducing the VAT MOSS (Mini One Stop Shop) and businesses can register from October 2014.
Unless businesses opt to register for MOSS, businesses that make intra EU B2C supplies of telecommunications, broadcasting and e-services will be required to register and account for VAT in every Member State in which they have customers. MOSS will give these businesses the option of registering in just the UK and accounting for VAT on supplies to their customers in other Member States using a single online MOSS VAT return submitted to HMRC. This will significantly reduce their administrative burdens.
- Examples of telecommunications services include: fixed and mobile telephone services; videophone services; paging services; facsimile, telegraph and telex services; access to the internet and worldwide web.
- Examples of broadcasting services include: radio and television programmes transmitted over a radio or television network, and live broadcasts over the internet.
- Examples of e-services include: video on demand, downloaded applications (or “apps”), music downloads, gaming, e-books, anti-virus software and online auctions.
HMRC VAT Place of Supply Link
If you supply e services its worth considering the accounting and pricing changes that you will need to implement and how you will incorporate the ‘use and enjoyment’ rules.
steve@bicknells.net
VAT Return Box 2 EU Aquisitions? This is what you need to enter
Personally I have always found this box a little odd as its not taken from invoices its calculated by you.
Box 2 Acquisition Tax is calculated as UK VAT due on VAT free purchase of goods from other Member States, i.e. 20% x Box 9 figure, the same amount is then entered in Box 4 (as noted below by HMRC) so the net effect is Zero.
Box 9 Total EU Purchases are the value of goods bought from other EU Member States on a VAT free basis.
The following are HMRC’s instructions:
Box 2: VAT due from you (but not paid) on acquisitions from other EU countries
You need to work out the VAT due – but not yet paid by you – on goods that you buy from other EU countries, and any services directly related to those goods (such as delivery charges). Put the figure in Box 2. You may be able to reclaim this amount, and if so remember to include this figure in your total in Box 4.
Box 4: VAT reclaimable on your purchases
This is the VAT you have been charged on your purchases for use in your business. You should also include:
- VAT due (but not paid) on goods from other EU countries and services directly related to those goods (such as delivery charges) – this is the figure you put in Box 2
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/managing/returns-accounts/completing-returns.htm#4
If you trade regularly with the EU you may be required to do Intrastat Returns, here is a chart that explains the basics
steve@bicknells.net
What steps do you need to follow to form a company?
Years ago you would go to a formation agent and buy an off the shelf company and re-name it but now its much easy to create a company from scratch using a formation agent. There are many agents out there, but you could use http://www.company-wizard.co.uk where you can form a company from £16.99 or you can do it direct with Companies House.
You will need to know:
- The company name (that hasn’t already been used and isn’t restricted)
- The names, addresses and dates of birth for directors and shareholders
- Registered office address
- You will also need to security information for the directors and shareholders (eye colour, mothers maiden name, place of birth)
The company will often be formed within a day, once you know the company registration number you can open a bank account. To do this you will normally need to visit your bank and show them two forms of ID.
HMRC will send form CT41G to the registered company address.
The CT41G form is issued to newly registered companies. This form includes your company’s Unique Taxpayer Reference .You will need it to contact HMRC. It also tells you what you need to do if your company has become ‘active’ and suggests other tax implications your company may need to consider.
HMRC will also ask if you want to appoint an agent (accountant) and this is done with form 64-8.
To register for PAYE you will need to know:
- name, business name, partner’s name, company name (as appropriate)
- business or home address, including postcode (as appropriate)
- business or home telephone number
- a contact email address
- a contact telephone number
- a name and address to send correspondence to
- the date of your first payday or, if earlier, the first date you made payments of expenses and/or provided benefits to your employees
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payerti/getting-started/register.htm
Follow this link if you need to register for the Construction Industry Scheme http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/contactus/view.page?record=039zI-xtZZw
VAT registration is done on line http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/
steve@bicknells.net
Business Accountant 