VAT Returns Service for UK Businesses

Pro-AccX offers professional VAT returns services across the UK for small and medium-sized businesses, including sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies. Our experts take the hassle out of preparing and filing your VAT returns with HMRC, ensuring you stay compliant with all regulations (like Making Tax Digital) while maximising your VAT reclaim.

We handle everything from calculating your VAT liabilities to submitting the return on time, so you can focus on running your business. With remote support available nationwide, you get accessible VAT help wherever you are in the UK, without compromising on personal, high-quality service.

VAT Returns Service

What Our VAT Returns Service Includes

Our comprehensive VAT return service covers every aspect of the VAT process, giving you peace of mind that nothing is overlooked:

VAT Registration & Deregistration

Guidance through registering for VAT when you hit the threshold and handling deregistration (including final returns) if your business needs to cancel VAT.

VAT Return Preparation

Careful calculation of the VAT you owe on sales and what you can reclaim on purchases for each VAT period (usually quarterly). We double-check all figures against your records to ensure accuracy and compliance.

VAT Scheme Advice

Expert advice on the most suitable VAT accounting scheme for your business – whether standard accrual accounting or the Cash Accounting Scheme – including guidance on flat rate schemes if eligible. We ensure you’re on the best option for cash flow and simplicity.

Records Review & Reconciliation

We review your bookkeeping records and perform reconciliations to make sure sales and purchase data align with your VAT return.

VAT Reclaims & Reliefs

Our team identifies all eligible input VAT you can reclaim, so you never overpay. We ensure you claim all allowable VAT on expenses, reducing your VAT bill (many businesses miss out on VAT reclaims without realising, effectively losing money)

HMRC Liaison

If HMRC has questions or if any issues arise (for example, you need to adjust a past return), we handle communications with HMRC on your behalf. We also advise on any VAT payments or refunds from HMRC to ensure you get what’s due promptly

By covering these bases, Pro-AccX provides an end-to-end VAT return solution – from registration to submission – so you can stay VAT compliant without the stress.

Common VAT Challenges for UK Businesses

Many UK SMEs struggle with VAT obligations due to various challenges. Pro-AccX understands these common pain points and addresses them through our services:

  • Uncertainty About Registration Thresholds: We monitor your turnover and notify you when VAT registration is necessary.
  • MTD Confusion: We ensure your business complies with Making Tax Digital using compatible cloud software.
  • Risk of Late Filing and Penalties: We stay on top of deadlines and submit returns promptly to avoid fines.
  • Cash vs Accrual VAT Methods: We assess which accounting method benefits your business and set it up correctly.
  • Overpayment and Missed Reclaims: We check every transaction so you never pay more than necessary.

Benefits of Using Pro-AccX for Your Company Tax Return

When you choose Pro-AccX as your VAT returns service provider, you’re gaining a partner dedicated to simplifying your tax compliance. Here are some key benefits we offer to UK small and medium businesses:

  • Expert VAT Accountants for Small Businesses: Our team specialises in UK VAT and small business accounting. We stay current with HMRC rules and VAT nuances, so you don’t have to. This expertise means your VAT returns are prepared accurately and in line with the latest regulations, avoiding errors or omissions that could cost you.
  • Time Savings & Less Stress: Handling VAT internally can consume a lot of time and cause stress, especially if it’s not your area of expertise. By outsourcing to Pro-AccX, you free up valuable hours to focus on growing your business while we manage the VAT paperwork.
  • Accuracy and Compliance Assurance: We have robust checking processes to ensure every figure on your VAT return is correct. All sales, purchases, and VAT calculations are reconciled with your books. This meticulous approach means you avoid compliance issues – no more worrying about HMRC discovering a mistake. We help you implement best practices for record-keeping and MTD compliance, greatly reducing the risk of audits or penalties.
  • Maximised VAT Savings: Pro-AccX is not just about form-filling – we strive to save you money. Our experts will make sure you reclaim all input VAT you’re entitled to. We also advise on available VAT reliefs or schemes that might reduce your VAT burden.
  • Remote Convenience, Personal Touch: Enjoy the convenience of a remote accountant without sacrificing personal service. We build relationships with our clients – you’ll have a consistent point of contact who understands your business. Whenever you have a question or an urgent need, we’re just a phone call or email away. Because we operate virtually, help is accessible UK-wide and often faster than scheduling in-person meetings.
  • Transparent Pricing & Support: We offer clear, upfront pricing for our VAT return services with no surprise fees. Whether you need one-off help with a VAT quarter or ongoing VAT management, we provide flexible plans to suit your budget.

In summary, Pro-AccX gives you a reliable, professional advantage in handling VAT. Our clients often tell us that partnering with us for VAT returns has transformed a once-dreaded task into a straightforward routine. We aim to do the same for you – making VAT simple, so you can concentrate on your business success.

Industries experience

Industries

We enjoy working with a wide variety of service businesses.

We work with businesses in professional services, construction, e-commerce, tech, and more, providing financial clarity that supports smarter decisions and sustained growth.

How Our Remote VAT Return Support Works

One of the advantages of working with Pro-AccX is our seamless remote support for VAT returns. Here’s how our remote VAT service operates:

  • Nationwide Service: Because our team works remotely, we can assist you no matter where your business is located in the UK. You’ll have a dedicated VAT accountant who communicates with you via phone, email, and video conferencing, providing the same level of support you’d expect from an in-person advisor.
  • Secure Data Sharing: We utilise secure online portals and cloud accounting software to work with your financial data. You can grant us restricted access to your accounting system (such as Xero or QuickBooks) or upload your invoices and receipts through our encrypted platform. This way, we can gather all the information needed to prepare your VAT return without physical meetings.
  • Efficient Process: Once we have access to your data, our accountant will compile and review the figures, prepare the VAT return, and double-check everything with you. Any questions or clarifications can be handled quickly over email or a call. After your approval, we submit the return electronically to HMRC. All of this is done remotely, saving you time and travel.
  • Personalised Support: “Remote” doesn’t mean impersonal. We schedule regular check-ins, and you can reach out to your VAT expert anytime for advice or questions. It’s like having a virtual finance department. Our clients often find that remote support is more flexible – no need to align schedules for on-site meetings, and you get fast answers when needed.

By leveraging remote technology, Pro-AccX makes professional VAT services accessible to businesses all over the UK. You get top-notch expertise without the constraints of location, and our streamlined remote process ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Ready to make VAT Returns hassle-free?

Contact Pro-AccX today to schedule a free consultation or to get started with our VAT return service. Let our VAT experts take the burden off your shoulders – ensuring your VAT returns are filed correctly and on time, every time. With Pro-AccX on your side, VAT compliance becomes one less thing for you to worry about.

Discover Our Accountancy Services

From day-to-day bookkeeping and payroll to VAT returns, tax compliance, and detailed management reporting, Pro-AccX offers a complete range of accountancy services tailored to the needs of small businesses across the UK.

Management Accounts

Accurate financial reporting is essential to making informed decisions in your business.

Statuatory Accounts

Ensure your business stays compliant with expertly prepared statutory accounts.

VAT Returns

We help you navigate the regulations and complexities of VAT

Payroll

Take the hassle out of payroll processing with our reliable and compliant payroll service.

Need a personalised solution?

At Pro-AccX, we offer tailored accountancy services designed to meet your unique needs, ensuring you receive the support that fits your business perfectly.

The VAT registration threshold is the annual turnover level at which a business must legally register for VAT. As of the latest update, the threshold is £90,000 in taxable turnover per year. This means if your UK business’s revenue for any rolling 12-month period exceeds £90,000, you must register for VAT with HMRC. (This threshold was previously £85,000, but it increased to £90,000 from 1 April 2024) Keep in mind that taxable turnover includes most sales of goods and services that are not VAT-exempt, not just your profit. If you approach this threshold, it’s wise to monitor your turnover closely. Pro-AccX can help you determine when you need to register and guide you through the registration process.

Yes, absolutely – if you’ve missed a VAT deadline, Pro-AccX can assist in getting your return submitted to HMRC as soon as possible. It’s important to act quickly with late VAT returns. HMRC uses a penalty points system for late VAT filings; while one late return might just give you a penalty point, multiple missed deadlines can lead to fines (for quarterly filers, reaching 4 points triggers a £200 penalty). Additionally, HMRC will charge interest on any VAT that was paid late. Our team will help prepare the overdue return accurately, submit it, and advise on paying any VAT due to minimise further interest. We can also communicate with HMRC on your behalf if needed. The key is to get up to date and then put processes in place – like our reminder services – to ensure you don’t miss deadlines going forward.

Most UK businesses file VAT returns quarterly (every three months). This is the standard VAT reporting period. Each quarterly return covers three months of sales and purchases. The deadline for submitting a quarterly VAT return (and paying any VAT owed) is one month and 7 days after the end of the quarter. For example, if your VAT quarter ends on 31 March, your return must be filed and any payment made by 7 May. Some businesses choose or are required to file on different schedules: you can opt to file monthly VAT returns (often done to receive quicker VAT repayments if you usually reclaim VAT), or you might use HMRC’s Annual Accounting Scheme which involves filing one VAT return per year (with advance payments made throughout the year). In all cases, Pro-AccX will ensure you know your deadlines, and we’ll help get the returns filed on time. We’ll even send you reminders and prepare the figures in advance so you’re never caught off guard by a due date.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a UK Government initiative aimed at modernising tax reporting. For VAT, MTD means that businesses must keep their VAT records digitally and submit VAT returns using approved software instead of manual entries on the HMRC website. MTD for VAT was introduced for most businesses in 2019, and since April 2022, it has applied to all VAT-registered businesses (even those below the threshold who registered voluntarily). In practice, MTD requires using accounting software (like Xero, QuickBooks, etc.) or bridging tools that can connect to HMRC’s systems. The goal is to reduce errors and simplify the tax process, but it has been an adjustment for many small businesses. With Pro-AccX’s help, MTD compliance is straightforward – we ensure your records are maintained in a compatible digital format and we file your VAT returns through MTD-compliant software. If you’re unsure about how MTD works or whether your current system meets the requirements, we can guide you through it and set you up with the right tools.

The difference lies in when you account for VAT on your sales and purchases:

  • Standard (Accrual) VAT Accounting: You account for VAT based on when you issue or receive an invoice, not when the money actually changes hands. For example, if you invoice a client on 15 January for £1,000 + VAT, you include that output VAT in your return for the period covering January, even if the client pays you in February. This method (also called invoice accounting) gives a more accurate picture of sales and purchases in the period they occurred, but it can lead to cash flow issues – you might have to pay HMRC the VAT for a sale before your customer pays you.

  • Cash Accounting Scheme: You account for VAT only when cash is received or paid. Under this scheme, you pay VAT to HMRC only after your customer has actually paid you, and you reclaim VAT on expenses only after you’ve paid your supplier. So if a client hasn’t paid an invoice yet, their VAT won’t appear on your return until the payment arrives. This can significantly improve cash flow for small businesses – you won’t end up out of pocket paying VAT on unpaid invoices. However, there are some trade-offs: you can’t reclaim VAT on purchases until you pay for them (so if you buy on credit, the VAT reclaim is delayed), and the Cash Accounting Scheme is only available if your turnover is up to £1.35 million.

In summary, accrual accounting records VAT based on invoices (timing of sale/purchase), whereas cash accounting records VAT based on payments (timing of money). Many small businesses prefer cash accounting for the cash flow benefit, while larger businesses or those with very prompt customer payments might stick to standard accounting. Pro-AccX will review your business and help you choose the best approach. We’ll also handle the setup and reporting differences – whichever scheme you use, we ensure your VAT returns are accurate.

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Office

Pro-AccX

58 Applegarth Avenue
GU2 8LY
Guildford

Contact

h.kulinska@pro-accx.co.uk

Open Hours

Monday – Friday: 8 am – 8 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 1 pm