Guide to completing a UK VAT return

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

Guide to completing a UK VAT return

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

This guidance note provides information on the contents of a UK VAT return. Information on completing a VAT return for businesses using the flat rate scheme is included in the Flat rate scheme (FRS) ― operating the scheme guidance note.

Supplementary data for VAT returns

On 23 June 2026, it was suggested that, at some point in the future, there may be a requirement to include more information in VAT returns than the information listed below. It was suggested that data held within digital accounting systems could be used to support compliance and improve the effectiveness of the tax system.

Box 1: VAT due on sales and other outputs

This is the total amount of VAT charged on goods and services in the return period. (See the Time of supply ― overview guidance note)

Businesses should ensure they include VAT payable to HMRC for certain supplies which may be made outside their core business such as:

  1. VAT due in the period on imports accounted for through postponed accounting (see 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+
  • 01 Jul 2026 10:10

Popular Articles

Foreign tax relief

Foreign tax reliefIncome and gains may be taxable in more than one country. The UK has three ways of ensuring that the individual does not bear a double burden:1)treaty tax relief may reduce or eliminate the double tax2)if there is no treaty, the individual can claim ‘unilateral’ relief by deducting

14 Jul 2020 11:44 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Premiums on the grant or surrender of a lease

Premiums on the grant or surrender of a leasePremiums on the grant of a lease ― outlineWhen a property investor grants a lease, potentially this could be done on the basis that the tenant pays a premium for the initial grant of the lease, in addition to also paying rent over the term of the lease.

14 Jul 2020 12:58 | Produced by Tolley in association with Rob Durrant-Walker of Crane Dale Tax, part of AMS Group Read more Read more

Exemption ― insurance ― overview

Exemption ― insurance ― overviewThis guidance note provides an overview of the VAT treatment of insurance products and should be read in conjunction with the Insurance ― specific transactions and Exemption ― insurance ― brokers and agents guidance notes.Is insurance exempt from VAT?Supplies of

Read more Read more