Concise Accountancy

Accountants and Registered Auditors

VAT compliance

VAT cash accounting

VAT cash accounting scheme is suitable for your business, if your annual sales are below £1,350,000.

Under this scheme, you still issue your VAT sale invoice the normal way except you only pay the VAT to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) when you received the money from your customers. This VAT scheme can give you significant cash flow advantage.

VAT cash accounting for customers on credit terms

If you allow credit terms to your customers, you do not have to account for VAT on those sales invoices issued in your VAT returns until you have received the monies from your customers. Correspondingly, If your customer never pays you, you never have to pay the VAT over to HMRC. Similarly, you cannot reclaim VAT on your purchases until you have actually paid your suppliers.

Benefits of cash accounting

The benefit of VAT cash accounting is that you do not have to report your sales in your VAT return until your customers paid you. Thus, this would help with your business cash flow.

Unlike the standard VAT scheme, you account for the sale as soon as you issued the sale invoice.

Let say, your VAT quarter ended is 30 June 2019. You issued the sale invoice of £1200 inclusive of VAT on 28 June 2019. The customer has a 30 days credit term with you. Thus he paid you on 30 July 2019.

Under the standard VAT scheme, you would include your sale in the VAT return quarter ended 30 June 2019 and pay the VAT to HM Revenue and Customs before your customer pay you.

Whereas under the VAT Cash Accounting scheme, you would exclude this unpaid customer invoice in your 30 June 2019 VAT return. There are special rules on how to complete a VAT return under the Cash Accounting Scheme.

Your business must leave the cash accounting scheme when your taxable turnover is more than £1.6 million.

There are other VAT schemes available for businesses, VAT Flat Rate Scheme and Annual Accounting Scheme.

Seek accountants advice if you have questions about VAT cash accounting scheme.

Companies House filings

If your business is registered as a limited company, you must deliver company accounts and confirmation statement to Companies House.

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