VAT in the UK

VAT for a foreign-owned UK company is mostly a question of timing and cross-border invoicing. A UK business must register when its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000, or when it expects to pass that figure in the next 30 days. A business based outside the UK that supplies goods or services to the UK has its own test, so a founder abroad should not assume that the threshold protects them. Once registered, the company issues VAT invoices, files returns and keeps records that support every figure.

A good VAT adviser will ask where your customers are, what you sell to whom, and whether your supplies are standard, reduced or zero rated. In a profile, look for the firm’s experience with e-commerce, cross-border sellers and the entity type you plan to use, and for a published price. The UK country guide covers the wider set-up, and the company formation page covers choosing a provider.

267 firms on Accountanty offer VAT services in the United Kingdom, among them 256 accounting firms and 11 corporate services providers. English is the most common language (94 firms), ahead of Polish and Romanian. Sectors named most often are construction, e-commerce and charities. City pages: London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Firms offering VAT in the UK

1Office UK

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

London

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: English · Estonian · Finnish · Latvian …

View profile of 1Office UK

Hawksford

Corporate services provider · International network

London

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +6 more

Languages: English · Chinese

View profile of Hawksford

243 more firms offering VAT in the UK

Frequently asked questions

When must a company register for UK VAT?

A business must register if its taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes over £90,000, or if it expects to pass that figure in the next 30 days. A business based outside the UK that supplies goods or services to the UK must register whatever its turnover. A firm can test your position.

What are the UK VAT rates?

The standard rate is 20%, the reduced rate is 5% and the zero rate is 0%. Which one applies depends on what you sell, so ask a VAT adviser to confirm the rate for each product or service before you issue your first invoice.

Can I register for VAT if I run the company from abroad?

Yes. Registration is made in the company's name, and many firms handle it for owners who live overseas. Ask what records the firm needs from you, how often returns are filed and who approves each return before it is sent.

Other services in the UK

Accountants by city in the UK

Setting up a company in the UK: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.