VAT for Small Businesses

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Revised and up to date for 2025/26. VAT affects many businesses across the globe and getting it wrong can be administratively burdensome and costly. Enhance your knowledge of VAT for small business and discover the governing rules, guidelines and the schemes available to your business or clients.

£100 +VAT

4 CPD hours

120 days’ access

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Use ACPD101 for 10% off any purchase.

VAT for Small Businesses

£100 +VAT

4 CPD hours 120 days’ access
Use ACPD101 for 10% off any purchase.

VAT for Small Businesses

This course is not currently available. To find out more, please get in touch.

This course will enable you to

  • Familiarise yourself with the fundamentals of VAT
  • Understand how the flat rate scheme can help your business and enable you to calculate the VAT due
  • Define the cash accounting scheme, and its advantages and drawbacks
  • Understand the annual accounting scheme and how to make advance VAT payments
  • Describe the VAT margin schemes available to small businesses

About the course

VAT affects many people and businesses across the globe. Not only are the rules governing it complex, but getting it wrong can be administratively burdensome and, more importantly, costly. However, there are some invaluable VAT schemes that are available to smaller businesses. Understanding who can benefit from these, and what the conditions are, can make a massive difference to your business or clients.

This course will demystify the rules and guidelines that govern VAT that the schemes become easier to navigate. Discover the main features and eligibility of the range of schemes including flat rate, cash accounting, annual accounting and margin.

Please Note: This course only covers UK tax

Contents

VAT: The basics

VAT: An overview
The fundamentals
The accountant’s role in VAT
Registering
Supplies and VAT tax
Compliance

Flat rate scheme

All about the flat rate scheme
The aims of the scheme
Relevant percentage
Eligibility and restrictions
The limited cost trader rate
Leaving the scheme

The cash accounting scheme

All about the cash accounting scheme
The aims of the scheme
Eligibility and restrictions
Advantages and disadvantages
Joining and leaving the scheme

The annual accounting scheme

All about the annual accounting scheme
The aims of the scheme
Advantages and disadvantages
Joining and leaving the scheme

Margin schemes

All about the margin scheme
The aims of the scheme
Eligibility and restrictions
Special rules for car dealers
Joining and leaving the scheme
Global accounting

How it works

Author

Andy Rainford

Andrew Rainford BA (Hons), ATT, CTA trained and qualified with an independent London firm of accountants, and subsequently worked on EY’s personal tax consultancy team.
Now based in North Wales, he runs his own tax consultancy and writing business, Red Dragon Consulting, working directly for private clients and also supporting other tax advisers.