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Value added tax

  From 1 April 2018 From 1 April 2017
Standard rate 20% 20%
Standard rate VAT fraction 1/6 1/6
Reduced rate 5% 5%
Reduced rate VAT fraction 1/21 1/21
Zero rate  0% 0%
Registration - last 12 months or next 30 days over £85,000 £85,000
Deregistration - next 12 months under £83,000 £83,000
Cash accounting scheme - up to £1.35m £1.35m
Optional flat rate scheme    
        joining up to £150,000 £150,000
        exiting over £230,000  £230,000
Annual accounting scheme - up to £1.35m £1.35m
Intrastat arrivals threshold £1.5m          £1.5m
Intrastat dispatches threshold £250,000        £250,000
EC sales list reporting threshold nil       nil

VAT flat-rate scheme

A business must leave the scheme when turnover increases to £230,000. However, a business can remain in the scheme with HMRC's written agreement provided it can be shown that total sales in the following 12 months will be less than £191,500 including VAT.

Cars and your VAT return

VAT scale figures for private use are based on carbon emissions. The government website has the scale figures for your VAT returns.

It is expected that the standard rate of VAT will remain at 20% until at least after the 2015 General Election.

Cars and your VAT return

VAT scale figures for private use are based on carbon emissions. Please refer here for the scale figures for VAT returns.