Re: A serious answer
Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:46 am
It's all on the Customs and Excise website - , including blurb on voluntary registration.
I'm no expert, but having just set up a company and got VAT registered I think a lot of people running a legit business with even a modest turnover would benefit from VAT registration. You can register for VAT whether you operate as self employed / sole trader / as a company.
In particular the Flat Rate Scheme is worth checking out. It's a bit like getting cashback from VAT in return for not claiming any items below ?2000. The flat rate varies according to what you / your business does. The scheme includes an additional 1% discount in the first year of VAT registration.
As I understand it (and hopefully I'm not talking out of mr arse)...
For example if you are in video production the flat rate is 10.5%. Say you invoice ?30K exc VAT (?35,250 inc VAT) in a period. The old way you would have to pay the ?5,250 in VAT and claim back the VAT on your expenditure. Under the new scheme you would give the tax man 10.5% of ?35,250 = ?3,701 - netting you ?1549 BUT you can't claim back VAT on money you spent unless it is for items over ?2000.
I'm no expert, but having just set up a company and got VAT registered I think a lot of people running a legit business with even a modest turnover would benefit from VAT registration. You can register for VAT whether you operate as self employed / sole trader / as a company.
In particular the Flat Rate Scheme is worth checking out. It's a bit like getting cashback from VAT in return for not claiming any items below ?2000. The flat rate varies according to what you / your business does. The scheme includes an additional 1% discount in the first year of VAT registration.
As I understand it (and hopefully I'm not talking out of mr arse)...
For example if you are in video production the flat rate is 10.5%. Say you invoice ?30K exc VAT (?35,250 inc VAT) in a period. The old way you would have to pay the ?5,250 in VAT and claim back the VAT on your expenditure. Under the new scheme you would give the tax man 10.5% of ?35,250 = ?3,701 - netting you ?1549 BUT you can't claim back VAT on money you spent unless it is for items over ?2000.