At the end of September, the government announced the end of the VAT Retail Export Scheme (VAT RES) with effect from 1 January 2021. This means that overseas visitors will no longer be entitled to a VAT refund on items they buy in England, Scotland or Wales which they take home in their luggage. The...

After a tough year you might have scaled down Christmas gifts for your employees. Even so, you need to consider the VAT consequences which vary depending on the cost and type of gift. What should you be reporting on your VAT return? John Craig our VAT expert provides the answers. The cost of employing a...

Is there VAT on renting out farmland? Q. I have agreed to rent a field from a farmer who is unsure whether he must charge VAT. As far as I am aware, as long as he has not opted to tax the land he does not charge VAT. Is this correct? A. The answer here...

A temporary lower VAT rate currently applies to some supplies of food and drink but not others. While this is good news it has caused some confusion. What VAT should you be charging your customers?  Our VAT expert John Craig provides the answers. Temporary VAT rate The government introduced the temporary 5% VAT rate for...

You took advantage of HMRC’s tax deferral schemes for VAT and income tax self-assessment because of coronavirus. But what options are there to pay and when is the best time to do it? Brona MacDougall takes a closer look Naturally, before you pay tax you want to look at your cashflow over the coming months...

You own a building that has a ground floor shop and a first floor flat, which you rent out. You opted to tax the property many years ago. But have you been dealing with the VAT correctly and can you save some tax in the future? John Craig provides the answers. Many landlords have opted...

VAT It has been confirmed today that the payment of the suspended VAT quarter (the VAT quarter due in March to June 2020) which was previous due for repayment by end of March 2021 can now be repaid by way of 11 equal instalments over the tax year 2021/2022 in order to avoid businesses suffering...

To help builders affected by the Coronavirus crisis, the new reverse charge rules for the construction industry has been pushed back to the 1st March 2021. What does the delay mean for your business? Elaine Wight finds out. HMRC has recognised that builders are already under enormous pressure as a result of the Coronavirus crisis....

The Coronavirus crisis has identified that some employees are able to work from home in the long term, but what is the position on reclaiming VAT on remote working allowance for staff? VAT expert John Craig finds out with the following example. You have agreed to pay remote working employees up to £1,000 to pay...

In the Chancellor’s Summer Statement of 8 July measures were announced to support businesses affected by the enforced closures and social distancing measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to protect jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors the government has: • Extended the services to which the 5% reduced rate of VAT can...