Whether or not or not you have to pay Worth Added Tax (VAT) as a sole dealer relies upon solely on how a lot cash your online business is popping over. Mainly, if on the finish of any month your annual turnover exceeded £90,000 within the earlier 12 months, you have to register for VAT.
You may as well voluntarily register for VAT even when your turnover is beneath the edge. Some sole merchants select to do that in order that they will declare again the VAT on items and companies bought for his or her enterprise or to keep away from monetary penalties from by chance going over the edge.
Under, we clarify register for VAT as a sole dealer, how a lot you have to pay, VAT charges, charging VAT to prospects, and MTD for VAT.
Registering for VAT as a sole dealer
You may register for VAT on-line with HMRC. As soon as authorised, you must obtain a singular VAT quantity related solely to your online business inside 30 days.
Will probably be supplied on a VAT registration certificates, which may also have particulars of the dates you have to submit your first VAT Return by, and your efficient date of registration (the date while you began to pay VAT).
Your VAT registration will probably be beneath no matter identify you select to commerce as, whether or not that’s your individual identify or the identify of your online business.
VAT charges as a sole dealer
There are three completely different ranges of VAT:
- Commonplace charge – presently 20 per cent, this is applicable to nearly all of items and companies
- Decreased charge – presently 5 per cent, this is applicable to a really choose set of products and companies, equivalent to kids’s automobile seats and residential power
- Zero charge – 0 per cent, which applies to most meals and youngsters’s garments
You could find the complete listing of VAT scores and exemptions right here: VAT charges on completely different items and companies.
(NB – There are additionally VAT exempt objects, for which you can’t declare again enter VAT on bills used to provide the zero rated good. You could find a complete rationalization of this right here: Shorts UK)
Charging VAT on items and companies offered to prospects
You may be required to cost the VAT aspect in your gross sales invoices. For instance, in case your bill worth is £1,000, you’ll add £200 (20 per cent) to the full value of the services or products and the client pays you £1,200.
Each quarter you’ll full a VAT return exhibiting how a lot you’ve gotten collected in VAT from prospects (Output VAT) and the way a lot VAT you’ve gotten paid to your suppliers (Enter VAT).
If the Output VAT exceeds the Enter VAT, you’ll pay the distinction to HMRC. Nevertheless, if the Enter VAT exceeds the Output VAT, you’re capable of declare again the distinction quantity from HMRC.
MTD for VAT
All VAT-registered companies, no matter turnover, ought to now be signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT. Each enterprise will probably be signed up mechanically until they apply for a VAT exemption. Making Tax Digital is a part of the federal government’s initiative to make the UK tax system totally digital.
To be able to comply, you’ll have to make use of HMRC-approved software program to keep up digital VAT data and submit your quarterly VAT returns.
Three VAT Public Notices which supply related recommendation are:
- Discover 700 – VAT Basic Information
- Discover 700/1 – Ought to I be registered for VAT?
- Discover 700/22 – Making Tax Digital for VAT
- These may be situated right here
The VAT recommendation line will assist with queries on 0300 200 3700.
The related type is an Utility for Registration – VAT 1 and you may obtain all of it right here.
If in case you have any doubts you must speak to your accountant who will clarify the necessities in better element, and can assist with particular queries and even full the VAT return in your behalf.
The right way to simply observe your earnings?
Accounting software program can assist you adjust to Making Tax Digital for VAT – and customarily make it simpler to handle your online business cashflow and earnings.
There’s a spread of suppliers to select from. We’ve rounded up three of the perfect under.
Evaluate suppliers now to search out the right possibility for your online business.

Sage’s resolution permits you and your group to handle bills 24/7 from its intuitive cell app. Management who has entry to submit, view, and approve bills and handle every little thing from the easy-to-use dashboard.
Worth: 30-day free trial, then from £1.10 per worker per thirty days

Observe bills on-the-go with the Xero app, together with automated receipt seize and mileage monitoring with a built-in GPS. Every thing is fed into your ledger and money move forecast so you possibly can create studies and floor insights.
Worth: From £1.60 per thirty days (with 90% low cost for six months, then £16)

Join your financial institution accounts to Quickbooks to mechanically match transaction information to your invoice and receipt. The app can even create tax classes and observe your mileage.
Worth: From £1 per thirty days + VAT

Moss lets you situation company playing cards that make bills submissions and reimbursements, in addition to approvals and payouts a breeze. All expense information is mechanically categorised and pre-coded.
Worth: On request

Rise up to 50 expense playing cards with a Tide enterprise present account and set month-to-month and particular person spending limits through the Tide app. Every thing is mechanically synced together with your accounting software program.
Worth: From £5 per card (free expense playing cards accessible on paid plans)

Join your card or checking account to Freshbooks to begin capturing, categorising and monitoring all of your bills. The software program is MTD compliant and may deal with multi-currency bills.
Worth: From £7.50 for first three months

With Zoho’s auto scan characteristic, you possibly can observe and categorise receipts after which hyperlink them to the related transaction. Zoho additionally lets you create profiles for any common bills.
Worth: Free for solopreneurs and microbusinesses, then from £10
Additional studying
The most effective accounting software program for small companies – It’s by no means been simpler or extra reasonably priced to handle your tax and accounting utilizing small enterprise accounting software program – discover the perfect accounting package deal on your wants
The right way to handle your accounts as a small enterprise – Every thing you have to learn about making ready your financials within the early levels of enterprise
Tax benefits of a restricted firm versus sole dealer – Haydn Rogan explains the tax benefits and drawbacks of standing as a restricted firm and as a sole dealer
9 accounting software program platforms for Making Tax Digital – Right here, Mariah Tompkins scrutinises accounting software program choices that small companies can use for his or her digital tax returns