Checklist
Pre-registration checklist
Ten things to confirm before you submit a VAT registration. Avoids the most common back and forth with HMRC.
Open checklist →Free to read, free to use
Resources to handle VAT with confidence.
A curated library of templates, plain English articles and trusted references. Built for UK business owners and the accountants who support them.
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Find what you need, fast.
Four shelves, each with a clear purpose. Pick the one that matches your question.
Templates
Templates and checklists
Ready-to-use VAT invoices, registration checklists and return prep sheets you can adapt to your business.
Browse templates →Articles
Plain English articles
Short reads on the VAT rules that actually catch out small businesses, written without jargon.
Browse articles →Calculators
Calculators and tools
Interactive tools to check your turnover, work out your registration date and estimate VAT exposure.
Browse calculators →References
Official references
A shortlist of GOV.UK pages, HMRC notices and forms that we link to from our own guides.
Browse references →Templates
Templates and checklists
Drop-in documents to keep your VAT records tidy and your decisions recorded.
Template
First VAT return template
A worked spreadsheet structure for your opening return, including pre-registration input tax recovery.
View template →Template
VAT-compliant invoice template
Every field HMRC expects on a UK VAT invoice, with a worked example for goods and services.
View template →Checklist
Quarterly return prep checklist
What to gather before each VAT return so the filing itself takes minutes, not days.
Open checklist →Template
Late registration disclosure letter
A starting point for the letter to HMRC if you crossed the threshold and registered late.
View template →Worksheet
Re-invoicing decision worksheet
Walk through each affected invoice and decide whether to reissue, credit, or absorb the VAT.
Open worksheet →VAT Resource Centre
The 4-part guide to handle the VAT threshold
A short, sequenced series. Read top to bottom for the full picture, or jump to the article that matches your situation.
I Think I Crossed the VAT Threshold. What Should I Do First?
Crossed the UK VAT threshold? Follow this step-by-step guide to confirm your taxable turnover, calculate your Effective Date of Registration, and avoid the most common panic mistakes.
8 min readUpdated 28 Apr 2026
Read article →What Happens If I Register Late for VAT?
Registered for VAT later than you should have? This guide explains what late VAT registration means, how to quantify your exposure, and the structured steps to recover without panic.
7 min readUpdated 28 Apr 2026
Read article →What Is the Effective Date of Registration for VAT?
The Effective Date of Registration is the most misunderstood date in UK VAT. This guide explains what it means, how it is calculated under both threshold tests, and why getting it wrong is expensive.
7 min readUpdated 28 Apr 2026
Read article →Do I Need to Charge VAT Before I Get My VAT Number?
HMRC is still processing your registration but your Effective Date has started. Find out how to invoice correctly, what to collect, and how to avoid hidden VAT exposure during the waiting period.
6 min readUpdated 28 Apr 2026
Read article →Calculators
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VAT Threshold Calculator
Add your last twelve months of turnover and see exactly where you stand against the £90,000 line.
Open tool →EDR Calculator
Work out your Effective Date of Registration so you know the day VAT must start applying.
Open tool →VAT Exposure Estimator
Estimate the VAT you may owe if you registered late, with a B2B and B2C split.
Open tool →Cash Flow Calculator
Model the cash flow impact of charging VAT on your typical month, before you commit to a date.
Open tool →Invoice Checklist
Tick off every HMRC requirement on a sample invoice and spot what is missing.
Open tool →Re-invoicing Decision Tree
A guided flow that tells you, invoice by invoice, whether and how to reissue with VAT.
Open tool →External references
Trusted GOV.UK pages
The source pages we send people to, all in one place. Open in a new tab.
GOV.UKGOV.UKVAT Notice 700VAT Notice 700/1GOV.UKGOV.UK
Register for VAT
Official guidance on when and how to register for UK VAT, including online and paper options.
VAT registration thresholds
Current registration and deregistration thresholds, updated by HMRC each tax year.
The VAT guide
HMRC's general guide to VAT, the document most accountants quote when in doubt.
Should I be registered for VAT
Detailed scenarios for businesses near the threshold, including liability and exemption rules.
Making Tax Digital for VAT
Rules on digital record keeping and compatible software for VAT-registered businesses.
VAT penalties and interest
How HMRC calculates late submission and late payment penalties under the new points-based regime.
New resources, when they land
We publish a new template or article every two weeks. No filler, no marketing, just things you can use.
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