VAT return accountant for UK businesses
Your VAT return is one more job competing for time you do not have. Hand it over, along with registration and the trickier VAT questions a generic guide will not cover.
In short: NDCA is an ACCA-regulated accountancy practice that registers businesses for VAT, prepares VAT returns and files them with HMRC under Making Tax Digital. We check your coding every quarter, choose the right scheme, from standard accounting to Flat Rate or Cash Accounting and track the £90,000 registration threshold for you. VAT returns are covered by one fixed monthly fee for sole traders, limited companies and landlords across the UK.
What NDCA clients say
Verified Google reviews from NDCA clients.
In short: NDCA is an ACCA-regulated accountancy practice that registers businesses for VAT, prepares VAT returns and files them with HMRC under Making Tax Digital. We check your coding every quarter, choose the right scheme, from standard accounting to Flat Rate or Cash Accounting and track the £90,000 registration threshold for you. VAT returns are covered by one fixed monthly fee for sole traders, limited companies and landlords across the UK.
What our VAT return service covers
A named accountant handles your VAT from registration to filing. That includes:
- VAT registration. Compulsory and voluntary registration, handled with HMRC from start to finish.
- VAT returns. Quarterly preparation, a review of your VAT coding and records and submission to HMRC.
- VAT scheme advice. Standard VAT, Flat Rate, Cash Accounting, Annual Accounting and the relevant margin schemes.
- Complex VAT. Domestic Reverse Charge, imports and exports, property VAT and partial exemption where relevant.
- HMRC support. VAT enquiries, corrections and deregistration where appropriate.
If you also need bookkeeping, payroll or year-end accounts, we handle it all under one fee. No duplicated work, no second invoice.
How NDCA works
What you can expect:
- Fixed monthly fee
Your VAT return is not billed per quarter. It sits inside the fixed monthly fee we agreed when you joined, so you know the cost twelve months ahead. - A real accountant
A named accountant prepares your VAT return and normally answers your questions directly the same day. - Filed early, every quarter
Most returns are drafted well ahead of the deadline, so you know what is owed or owed back, in time to plan around it.
Cloud accounting makes VAT easier
Good bookkeeping and reconciled records make an accurate VAT return far easier to produce. NDCA uses Xero to keep your records organised and your VAT reporting efficient, with a digital link between your records and each return, in line with Making Tax Digital.
If you are not yet on Xero, we move you across as part of onboarding. If you are already there, we plug straight in.
Apron for invoice capture
A missing invoice or a receipt coded to the wrong VAT rate is the easiest way to get a VAT return wrong.
Supplier invoices and receipts are captured digitally through Apron and pushed straight into Xero. That means fewer missing invoices, less guesswork on VAT treatment and a return that holds up if HMRC ever asks questions. NDCA manages the process for you.
VAT schemes we cover
We advise on the right scheme for your business and switch you between schemes when your circumstances change. That includes:
- Standard VAT
- Flat Rate Scheme
- Cash Accounting Scheme
- Annual Accounting Scheme
- Margin schemes, where relevant
Using the right scheme can affect your cash flow and how much VAT you pay or reclaim. We review your position and advise.
The Domestic Reverse Charge is not a scheme you choose. It applies automatically to most building and construction services between VAT and CIS-registered businesses, and we check whether it applies to your work.
Who we work with
NDCA VAT clients fall into a few groups:
- Limited companies
- Sole traders
- E-commerce businesses
- Construction businesses
- Property businesses
- Businesses importing or exporting
- Businesses registering for VAT for the first time
Not on the list? Send us a message and we will normally tell you the same day whether we can help.
A worked example: a VAT quarter
Say your business invoices £30,000 of standard-rated services in a quarter and charges £6,000 of VAT. You buy £9,000 of supplies with £1,800 of VAT on them, so you pay HMRC £4,200 for the quarter.
On the Flat Rate Scheme, a management consultant would instead pay 14% of the £36,000 VAT-inclusive turnover, which is £5,040. Here the standard scheme is cheaper by £840 a quarter, which is why we compare schemes on your actual figures before choosing one.
Have a VAT return coming up?
Tell us your VAT scheme, how often you file and when your next return is due. We will look after every return for one monthly fee, with no per-return charges.
Reviews
Discover why businesses trust us for dependable accounting services and practical financial advice.
What NDCA clients say
We work with businesses across the UK and beyond, delivering results that speak for themselves. Browse our reviews to see the impact we have made, and if you have worked with us, we would love for you to leave a review on Google
Switching from another accountant
Already have an accountant? Switching your VAT work over is straightforward. We send a professional clearance letter, collect your records and get you onboarded. How long it takes depends mainly on how quickly your previous accountant sends the records across, and we keep you updated throughout.
You do not need to wait for the next VAT quarter. You do not need an awkward phone call. We handle it.
VAT at a glance (2026/27)
View the key tax figures
| Registration threshold | £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling 12 months, or if you expect to pass it in the next 30 days alone |
|---|---|
| Deregistration threshold | £88,000 |
| Rates | 20% standard, 5% reduced and 0% zero rate |
| Returns and payment | Filed through Making Tax Digital software |
| Cash Accounting Scheme | Available with taxable turnover up to £1.35 million |
| Flat Rate Scheme | A fixed percentage of VAT-inclusive turnover, 16.5% for limited cost traders |
| Late returns | Penalty points, with a £200 penalty once you reach the threshold |
Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year and were checked against GOV.UK guidance. Your own position depends on your circumstances, which we confirm before any advice.
VAT return FAQs
Our fees start from £95 plus VAT a month for limited companies, with no setup fee. Self Assessment starts from £245 plus VAT as a one-off fee. You receive a fixed quote at the end of your free 30-minute call, based on your turnover, transactions, VAT, payroll and number of directors. Any records alignment or bookkeeping catch-up is quoted separately in writing before work starts.
Standard VAT returns are filed quarterly. The return and payment are due one calendar month and seven days after the end of your VAT quarter. Annual Accounting Scheme users file once a year with interim payments instead. Missing a deadline can add a penalty point, and reaching four points brings a £200 penalty for quarterly filers. Handing your VAT over to an accountant takes that risk off your plate.
A business generally must register once its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in the past 12 months, or if it expects to go over £90,000 in the next 30 days. You can also register voluntarily below the threshold if that suits your business. We can review your position and register you either way.
Yes. NDCA prepares your VAT return, reviews it with you and files it directly with HMRC. You never file it yourself.
Making Tax Digital for VAT requires all VAT-registered businesses to keep digital records and file returns using compatible software, with a digital link between the records and the return. We keep your records in Xero and file directly from there, so this is handled for you.
Yes. We advise on the Flat Rate, Cash Accounting and Annual Accounting Schemes and handle more complex situations such as the Domestic Reverse Charge, partial exemption, property VAT and imports and exports.
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Ready to hand over your VAT?
NDCA handles the VAT return. A real accountant, a fixed monthly price, UK-wide.
