VAT Return Services for UK Businesses
Most VAT problems do not start at the return. They start three months earlier — wrong rate on an invoice, expense claimed in the wrong period, EU sale coded as a UK sale, fuel scale charge forgotten about. By the time the return is due, the figures are wrong and there are seven evenings of unpicking ahead.
We do it differently.
NDCA prepares and files quarterly VAT returns for UK sole traders, limited companies, landlords and partnerships under Making Tax Digital. We are ACCA-regulated, Xero-certified, and we charge a fixed monthly feeso your VAT is handled before the deadline, not on it.
Contact us today for a free consultation to walk through your situation.
What our VAT return service covers
A dedicated accountant handles your VAT from registration to filing. That includes:
- VAT registration with HMRC, including voluntary registration
- Scheme advice — standard, flat rate, cash accounting, annual accounting, margin schemes
- Quarterly VAT return preparation under MTD for VAT
- Return submission directly from Xero to HMRC
- Partial exemption calculations where applicable
- Reverse charge handling for construction and imported services
- EU and rest-of-world VAT treatment on goods and services
- VAT on property transactions, including option to tax advice
- Deregistration when turnover drops below the threshold
- HMRC enquiry support if a return is queried
If you also need bookkeeping, payroll or year-end accounts, we handle all of it under one fee. No duplicated work, no second invoice.
How NDCA works
Three things make our VAT return service different.
- Fixed monthly fee
Your VAT returns are not billed per quarter. They are built into the fixed monthly fee we agreed when you joined. You know exactly what you are paying twelve months in advance. - A real human, fast
A named accountant prepares your VAT return and answers your questions. No ticket queue. Most queries get a same-day reply. - Filed early, every quarter
Most clients have their VAT return drafted well before the quarter-end deadline, not days before. That means you know what is owed (or owed back) in time to plan cash flow, not after the bill has already landed.
Xero is the only platform we use
Xero is the only bookkeeping platform we run. For VAT, that matters.
Under Making Tax Digital, VAT returns must be filed from compatible software with a digital link from the underlying records. Xero handles that natively. When the bookkeeping is in Xero and reconciled month by month, the VAT return is calculated automatically, checked by your accountant, and submitted to HMRC in a few clicks. No spreadsheet copy-paste, no broken digital trail, no MTD compliance worries.
If you are not yet on Xero, we migrate you across as part of onboarding. If you are already there, we plug straight in.
Apron for invoice capture
VAT returns are only as accurate as the receipts and supplier invoices behind them. A missing invoice means a missed reclaim. A receipt coded to the wrong VAT rate means a return that does not balance.
We use Apron to stop that. Snap a photo of a receipt or forward a supplier invoice to your dedicated Apron email address, and the supplier, date, amount, VAT and line items are pulled out automatically and pushed into Xero. Every input VAT claim is supported by paperwork already in the system.
For our clients, that means a VAT return that holds up if HMRC ever checks it.
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 — quarterly returns, reclaim VAT on costs, charge VAT on sales
- Flat Rate Scheme — simplified percentage of turnover, suitable for some small businesses
- Cash Accounting Scheme — pay VAT when customers pay you, not when you invoice
- Annual Accounting Scheme — one return a year with interim payments
- Margin schemes — for second-hand goods, antiques, art and motor dealers
- Domestic Reverse Charge — for construction industry supplies under CIS
Different schemes suit different businesses. We model the impact of each before recommending one.
Who we work with
NDCA VAT clients fall into a few groups:
- Sole traders crossing the registration threshold for the first time
- Limited companies wanting one firm doing bookkeeping, VAT and year-end
- Landlords with commercial property and option-to-tax decisions
- Trades and construction firms using the Domestic Reverse Charge
- E-commerce sellers with multi-channel sales and overseas VAT
- Importers and exporters dealing with reverse charge and postponed VAT accounting
If your situation is not on the list, send us a message — it almost certainly fits.
Have a VAT return due soon?
Quarterly deadlines come quickly and the late-filing penalty system is tighter than it used to be. Send us your details — we'll come back within one working day with a fixed monthly quote.
Reviews
Discover why businesses trust us for dependable accounting services and practical financial advice.
Switching from another accountant
If you already have an accountant and you are not happy, switching is simpler than people think. We send your current accountant a professional clearance letter, collect your records, and pick up where they left off. Most clients are fully on-boarded within two weeks.
You do not need to wait for the next VAT quarter. You do not need an awkward phone call. We handle it.
VAT return FAQs
NDCA fees depend on the volume of transactions, the VAT scheme you are on, and what else is bundled in (bookkeeping, payroll, annual accounts). You get a fixed monthly price upfront, not a per-quarter VAT invoice. Get a quote on 01903 968618.
The UK VAT registration threshold is £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling twelve-month period. Once you cross it, you must register within 30 days. You can also register voluntarily below the threshold if it is beneficial — we will model whether it is for your business.
Standard VAT returns are filed quarterly. The return and any payment are due one calendar month and seven days after the end of the VAT quarter. Annual Accounting Scheme users file once a year with interim payments instead.
MTD for VAT requires all VAT-registered businesses to keep digital records and file returns using compatible software with a digital link between the underlying records and the return. Xero is fully MTD-compliant, and every VAT return we file goes straight from Xero to HMRC.
The Flat Rate Scheme lets some small businesses pay VAT as a fixed percentage of their VAT-inclusive turnover, instead of accounting for VAT on every sale and purchase. It simplifies the return but is not always the cheapest option. We model it against the standard scheme before recommending it.
Yes, on most business expenses, provided you have a valid VAT invoice. There are restrictions — for example, you generally cannot reclaim VAT on entertaining UK customers or on most cars. We apply the rules on every return.
The Domestic Reverse Charge applies to most construction services between VAT-registered businesses under CIS. The supplier does not charge VAT — the customer accounts for it on their own return. It is covered in detail on our CIS returns page.
HMRC operates a penalty points system. Each late return adds a point, and once you reach the threshold (4 points for quarterly filers) a £200 penalty applies and continues for every subsequent late return. Interest is also charged on late payments. We file early to keep you outside the points system.
Yes. We deal with reverse charge on imported services, postponed VAT accounting on imported goods, OSS and IOSS for e-commerce sellers to the EU, and zero-rated exports. If your situation involves overseas VAT registrations in other jurisdictions, we coordinate with local specialists.
Xero, exclusively. We are a certified Xero Partner. VAT returns are calculated in Xero, reviewed by your accountant, and submitted directly to HMRC under MTD.
Yes. NDCA is regulated by the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).
We are remote first. We work with clients across the UK using Xero, so location does not matter.
Yes. Book one on 01903 968618 or via the contact form.
Yes — within limits. Goods: up to 4 years before VAT registration if you still own them. Services: up to 6 months before. Both must relate to your business. We'll review this on onboarding so you don't miss any reclaim.
Standard VAT means you charge VAT on sales, reclaim VAT on purchases, and pay HMRC the difference. Flat Rate means you charge VAT on sales as normal but pay HMRC a fixed percentage of your turnover, keeping the difference. Flat Rate is simpler but not always cheaper — it depends on how much VAT you reclaim on purchases. We model both and recommend the right one for your business.
Mandatory once your taxable turnover passes the current VAT registration threshold over a rolling 12-month period. Voluntary registration is also possible below the threshold — useful if most of your customers are VAT-registered or if you have significant VAT on purchases to reclaim. We'll advise either way.
Most bookkeepers run VAT once a quarter against records they cleaned just before the deadline. NDCA's bookkeeping is reconciled monthly, so when the VAT return is due the figures are already correct — and you've had three months to see what was owed before the bill landed. If your current setup works, no need to change. If you're always finding out the VAT bill at the last minute, we should talk.
Ready to hand over your VAT?
Quarterly deadlines are fixed and the penalty points system applies if you miss them. Most clients hand over the records, we file on time, you check the figures. Send us a few details — we'll come back within one working day with a fixed monthly quote.
