Our team of experts has experience of working as HM Revenue and Customs officers and as such are able to help you understand the ever changing case law, legislation and guidance in order to help you stay compliant.
VAT planning helps you make the most of every transaction
- Identify the best time to register and the most suitable VAT accounting method for your business
- Develop good procedures and rigorous systems
We will guide you through your return submissions and errors, and can even negotiate with HMRC on your behalf.
We will carry out a regular VAT 'health check' of your business to make sure you don't pay unnecessary VAT and you recover the maximum amount you can.

Different because you are
We pride ourselves in providing individually tailored services to our clients. Whatever your aspirations and priorities in business and life, we will be by your side with expert advice from local specialists. It is because your needs are unique, that the solutions we provide are distinct and personalised to you.
We can help with all aspects of VAT planning, but have particular expertise in:
- Land, property and construction
- Business transfers
- The flat rate scheme and partial exemption
- Imports, exports and trade on both EU and an international level
- Charities and academies
- VAT assurance visits, penalties and voluntary disclosures
- Financial services
Useful links from HMRC: The latest Import and Export guides
Get in touch to speak to our team or to book a consultation with our VAT specialist Rob Geary.
VAT Advice and Services Articles
Our latest VAT articles

Timely intervention prevented our client paying £1000s in VAT
Key partners and staff

Callum McCormack
VAT ConsultantRob Geary
VAT ConsultantFAQs
Why might I need Tax Investigation Cover?
Lovewell Blake Tax Investigation Cover will pay our professional fees for dealing with an HMRC investigation or enquiry.Our cover is market leading and there is no excess to pay. In the event of a tax investigation or enquiry we can handle everything including all correspondence with HMRC and even host meetings with the Inspector on your behalf.
Even if you have done nothing wrong it can take time to prove this to HMRC and deal with their letters and enquiries. Many of our clients value the peace of mind TIC provides. See our dedicated Tax Investigation Cover page for more information and to subscribe online.
Can Lovewell Blake handle the international aspects of my affairs?
Lovewell Blake is a member of HLB International. HLB International is a global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, comprising member firms in 158 countries. HLB International member firms offer audit, accounting, tax and business advisory services. HLB International is a leading mid-tier accounting network. Through our HLB sister firms, we have access to vast expertise all over the world and regularly work with these firms to provide a joined up, international strategy to many of our clients.
Do I need to register for VAT?
If your business is expected to turnover £85,000 of VATable turnover in the next 12 month period, you will need to register for VAT and start charging VAT on your supplies. You can reclaim VAT incurred on relevant expenditure and you pay the balance of VAT collected and recovered over to HMRC.
If your sales are standard rated for VAT, you will be charging an additional 20% of VAT on top of the invoice value. For customers who are not VAT registered themselves, this will make your invoices 20% higher. If your customers are VAT registered themselves (i.e. other businesses) they will be recovering the VAT themselves so your charges will not be higher.
If all or the majority of your customers are VAT registered, you may wish to voluntarily register for VAT even if your turnover is less than £85,000. You would then be able to recover VAT in your expenditure and as your customers recover any VAT you charge them, your invoices are effectively no more expensive.
Get in touch to discuss these options with one of our VAT specialists or local accountants.
Related news

VAT alert - Domestic reverse charge article updates
From 1 March 2021, if your VAT-registered business provides certain supplies of construction services to another business you may no longer need to charge them VAT. This is because your customer may need to account for it under the new domestic reverse charge for construction services.

Business support vital to understand post-Brexit VAT rules, says leading regional expert
Complicated new VAT rules post-Brexit are causing big headaches for both importers and exporters - and with a change in the system unlikely to happen, businesses are going to have to get to grips with the new VAT regime or else stop trading with the EU.

Phased approach to Post-Brexit importation rules provides a little clarity
In the latest of our series of weekly Brexit Blogs, Paul Briddon of Lovewell Blake explains how the government is planning a phased introduction of import controls once the transition period comes to an end.

VAT filing changes in Xero
The original method of filing VAT returns in Xero is changing soon and we are assisting our clients to be ready for this.
Cashflow and administrative impact of Brexit-related VAT rule change
In the latest of our series of weekly Brexit Blogs, Rob Geary explains how Brexit will result in changes to VAT rules which will affect any business importing or exporting goods.

VAT alert - builder's block on input VAT
‘A recent first-tier tribunal case, Wickford Development Co Limited v HMRC, has been found in favour of the taxpayer, raising again the possibility of HMRC incorrectly interpreting the scope of the ‘Builder’s Block’, this being HMRC’s block on builders and contractors recovering input VAT incurred on goods that are not ‘building materials ordinarily incorporated in a building’.

Former HMRC specialist joins Lovewell Blake's VAT team
Chartered accountants Lovewell Blake have appointed a former HMRC VAT expert to their specialist VAT team

VAT Alert - Vehicle purchases
Many businesses purchase vehicles to support their day-to-day operations. Whilst it may be assumed that, as a vehicle is being acquired by a business to support their activities, the VAT incurred on the purchase costs would be recoverable, this is often not the case.

VAT Alert - Making Tax Digital
At present, only VAT registered businesses with a taxable turnover greater than £85,000 are required to register for Making Tax Digital (MTD) and submit their returns through compatible software.

Huge and welcome first steps towards recovery
Some adept thinking from the Chancellor is welcome, but he will certainly need to do more in the autumn.

Summer Statement: Chancellor announces 'Plan for Jobs' policy to help Britain bounce back
Whilst delivering the summer statement in Parliament on 8 July 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, presented his ‘Plan for Jobs’ worth up to £30 billion to help Britain bounce back from the Coronavirus outbreak.

Zero rated VAT for PPE
A temporary VAT zero rate will apply to all supplies of PPE which are made between 1 May and 31 October 2020.

Change to partial exemption VAT treatment
The CJEU has considered a VAT case concerning the recovery of overhead VAT costs for a partially exempt business who supplied goods by way of hire purchase (the taxable supply) and the supply of credit (the exempt supply).

VAT alert: Domestic reverse charge on building and construction services
If your VAT-registered business provides construction services to another business you will no longer need to charge them VAT.

Time to consider whether to defer payment of tax bills falling due
VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax payments falling due can be deferred – but should you.

VAT alert - Welfare services
A recent Court of Appeal case has decided against two organisations that provided day care services.

Making Tax Digital - the next phase
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT was introduced on 1 April 2019 for all business trading above £85,000 of taxable supplies, with an extension until 1 October 2019 for some businesses eg groups.

VAT alert - Digital publications
A recent Upper Tier Tribunal case has resulted in digital newspapers being judged the same as hard copy printed newspapers and therefore zero rated. Prior to the case, digital publications were seen by HMRC as standard rated.

VAT Alert: EU VAT 'quick fix' simplification changes to cross-border trading
From 1 January 2020, the European Commission are introducing a number of ‘quick fixes’ aiming to simplify and harmonise EU VAT rules regarding intra-EU supplies of goods.

VAT Alert: VAT on lost space of bathroom and washroom conversions for disabled people
There are some VAT reliefs for disabled people. These typically relate to goods, however certain building works also qualify for VAT relief.