Sector summary ― charities

Produced by a Tolley Value Added Tax expert
Value Added Tax
Guidance

Sector summary ― charities

Produced by a Tolley Value Added Tax expert
Value Added Tax
Guidance
imgtext

This guidance note provides a summary of key VAT issues of relevance to the charity sector.

Areas covered include:

  1. an introduction to the sector

  2. the VAT meaning of a charity

  3. business and non-business activities

  4. the link between supply and consideration (including grants, donations and sponsorship)

  5. the VAT liability of a charity’s business supplies

  6. registering for VAT

  7. VAT reliefs for charity expenditure

  8. land and property

  9. the implications of incorrectly claimed VAT relief

  10. VAT recovery - including non-business expenditure, partial exemption and the charity special refund scheme

  11. key case law

Introduction to the sector

Amongst non-VAT specialists there is sometimes, an assumption that charities do not pay VAT or are not really affected by VAT. This assumption is false.

The charity sector faces some of the most complex VAT issues of any part of the economy.

In addition to other considerations, a typical charity will have to make difficult technical decisions about:

  1. whether income is derived from a ‘business’ activity

  2. the

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
Powered by Tolley+

Popular Articles

Spouse exemption from inheritance tax

Spouse exemption from inheritance taxArguably, the most important inheritance tax exemption is the spouse exemption from inheritance tax.There is no IHT to pay on gifts from husband to wife and vice versa, or from one civil partner to the other (referred to collectively in this note as ‘spouses’).

14 Jul 2020 13:56 | Produced by Tolley in association with Emma Haley at Boodle Hatfield LLP Read more Read more

Tax implications of administration and liquidation

Tax implications of administration and liquidationThis guidance considers the tax implications of a company going into administration or liquidation.Introduction to company administration and liquidationCompany going into administrationA company which is in financial difficulty may go into

14 Jul 2020 15:29 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Subsistence expenses

Subsistence expensesIntroductionSubsistence is the amount incurred as a consequence of business travel. Typically it relates to accommodation and meal costs incurred. These amounts are allowed because they are associated with the necessary travel which is not to a permanent workplace. See the Travel

14 Jul 2020 13:43 | Produced by Tolley in association with Philip Rutherford Read more Read more