扒哥吃瓜

1. About this release

This official statistics publication provides information on:

• VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 (including 贬辞尘别听VAT听and 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT)
• VAT听辫辞辫耻濒补迟颈辞苍 (including registrations and de-registrations)
• net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liabilities declared on traders鈥� tax returns

2. VAT听Annual Statistics Guidance

There are 3 main measures of tax revenue:

1. on an accruals basis (when the tax liability arose)
2. on a declared liability basis (when听HMRC听is notified of the liability)
3. on a cash receipts basis (when the tax was paid to听HMRC)

2.1 Types of听VAT听reported and data sources

罢辞迟补濒听VAT

罢辞迟补濒听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 are equal to 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 plus 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉. From February 2021, 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 are for Non-postponed accounting import听VAT听only. 贬辞尘别听VAT听is charged on the supply of goods or services in the UK. Prior to April 2015, 罢辞迟补濒听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 were calculated by subtracting other taxes from the Indirect Taxes听Consolidated Fund total. The data source for 罢辞迟补濒听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 is听HMRC听bank account data, including accounting adjustments to remove penalties and occasional payment errors.

贬辞尘别听VAT听net receipts

Net 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 are equal to 贬辞尘别听VAT听payments made to听HMRC听by registered taxpayers minus 贬辞尘别听VAT听repayments made from听HMRC听to taxpayers. Taxpayers make payments to听HMRC听when their net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability is positive and receive repayments when their net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability is negative. Prior to April 2015, 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 were calculated by subtracting 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 from 罢辞迟补濒听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉.

Net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability is defined as the output tax charged on sales (plus any reverse charges) minus the input tax paid on supplies.

To help manage cash flow during the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses were able to defer 贬辞尘别听VAT听payments due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020. After June 2020, businesses could then either:

• pay in full by 31 March 2021
• join the online听VAT听deferral new payment scheme by 21 June 2021 to spread payments of deferred听VAT听over smaller, interest free instalments
• 肠辞苍迟补肠迟听HMRC听to make an arrangement to pay by 30 June 2021

罢丑颈蝉听VAT听payment deferment policy听resulted in 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 being lower than usual in 2020 to 2021. The economic impacts of Covid-19 and the temporary reduced rate of 5% for听hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions听also reduced 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 in 2020 to 2021.

贬辞尘别听VAT听payments and repayments

The data source for 贬辞尘别听VAT听payments and repayments is听HMRC听bank account data. Prior to April 2015, 贬辞尘别听VAT听repayments were calculated by subtracting 贬辞尘别听VAT听payments from 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉. This method attributed any unallocated residual from the Indirect Taxes听Consolidated Fund听to 贬辞尘别听VAT听repayments, which averaged approximately plus or minus 拢100 million each month.

Approximately 70% of taxpayers that regularly receive听VAT听repayments submit monthly returns. Most of the remaining 30% of听VAT听repayments are made to traders submitting quarterly returns. 罢丑别听VAT听repayments time series also includes听VAT听谤别蹿耻苍诲蝉.

滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉

Following the introduction of听辫辞蝉迟辫辞苍别诲听VAT听accounting (PVA)听in January 2021, traders can now pay 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听as part of their听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍, rather than via duty deferment accounts.听PVA听颈尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 cannot easily be separated out from the 贬辞尘别听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉. Therefore, from February 2021 the 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听figures reported in this bulletin are for non-PVA听滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听only. Note that January 2021 receipts reflect December 2020 returns which were on the previous regime.

Prior to January 2021, 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听was a transaction tax levied on imported goods from outside the fiscal (VAT) territory of the EU. From January 2021 imports from the EU are subject to 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT. The data source for 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听is the听HMRC听Customs and Excise Core Accounting System (CECAS).

Goods are treated as imported when they arrive in the UK directly and entered into free circulation in the UK, or when goods are removed from a customs suspense arrangements for free circulation in the UK. Go to听笔补测颈苍驳听VAT听on imports guidance听for more information.

Services supplied from outside the UK are not taxed under 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听but may be taxed under a 贬辞尘别听VAT听reverse charge. For more details see听Place of supply of services (VAT听Notice 741A).

VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉

VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 can be reported on a monthly, quarterly or annual cycle. Most traders submit returns quarterly. By value around 95% of听VAT听Payments are made by traders submitting quarterly returns. Most of the remaining 5% of听VAT听Payments are received from traders submitting monthly returns.

Paper returns and cheque payments are due by the last working day of the month after the accounting period (for example, if the accounting period is January to March the return and payment is due by 30 April or if that is not a working day then the previous working day).

The increase in听VAT听liabilities for the Education sector reflects the introduction of听VAT听on private schools from January 2025. 罢丑别听VAT听liability amounts shown in this publication are for听VAT听accounting periods ended during the financial year, i.e. up to 31 March 2025. The number of months of听VAT听liabilities for private schools included in 2024-25 will therefore vary for different schools, depending on the quarterly accounting period used by the听VAT听registered entity. For those using the quarterly accounting periods ending January, April, July and October, the statistics include liabilities accruing up to January 2025, but no later. For those using the quarterly accounting periods ending February, May, August and November, the statistics include liabilities accruing up to February 2025, but no later. For those using the quarterly accounting periods ending March, June, September and December, the statistics include liabilities accruing up to March 2025.

Online returns

Online returns and electronic payments (excluding payments on account) have a 7 calendar day extension, and an additional 3 working days for direct debit payments (for example, if the accounting period is January to March the return and payment is due by 7 May, and direct debits will be taken 3 working days after 7 May). For more information see听VAT听Returns - Deadlines.

The electronic payment extension does not apply to Payment on Account (POA) traders. By value nearly half of 贬辞尘别听VAT听payments are made by Payment on Account traders. For more details see听VAT听payments on account guidance.

贰惫别谤测听VAT听registered business with an annual听VAT听liability of more than 拢2.3 million and accounting for听VAT听using quarterly returns is required to make payments on account. Once in the听POA听scheme, each business must make interim payments at the end of the second and third months of each听VAT听辩耻补谤迟别谤.

These interim payments are payments on account of the quarterly听VAT听liability. A balancing payment for the quarter, that is the quarterly liability less the payments on account made, is then made with the听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍. For more details see听VAT听payments on account guidance.

2.2 VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 data

VAT听Returns data is taken from听HMRC听administrative systems on which businesses鈥櫶�VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 are recorded. Receipts data is not directly comparable with returns figures as it is not possible to match payments or repayments of听VAT听to a particular听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 that has been submitted.

The net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability declared on听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 will not be the same as the payments and repayments made by a business, since net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability does not include:

• payments or repayments that are unrelated to the听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍
• payments or repayments do not match the amount declared on the听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 (for example where repayment is withheld by听HMRC)

The net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability also relates to 贬辞尘别听VAT听only, as 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT听is recorded on different systems from which we are unable to gather this data. For these reasons the net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability shown as coming from听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 data will not match up with 罢辞迟补濒听VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 published elsewhere.

All of the revenue figures published in these statistics and the听VAT听Bulletin are on a cash receipts basis (for example, April鈥檚 figure refers to cash received in April).听VAT听statistics on a declared liability basis are reported in these statistics for 贬辞尘别听VAT. Calculated statistics on accruals are published in听ONS/HMT听Public Sector Finance publications.

The cash receipts published in these statistics and the听VAT听Bulletin relates to cash receipts paid into the Consolidated Fund. Bulletin figures differ from the audited accounts as published in the 鈥�HMRC听Annual Report and Resource Accounts鈥�.

The Annual Report figures relate to accrued revenue and differ from these statistics/Bulletin figures as a result of adjustments made to reflect all liabilities due and incurred up to 31 March of each year (and therefore do not only reflect movement of actual cash).

The data source for net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability figures reported in these statistics is the听VAT听Annual Extract, which is a summary of听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 made throughout each financial year. All traders in the听VAT听Annual Extract were live at 31 March of the financial year or had submitted a non-nil return during the financial year.

Coverage

These statistics cover the United Kingdom. It is not possible to provide any regional breakdown on where tax liability arose for听VAT听补蝉听HMRC听does not collect this data on the tax return.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has also published experimental statistics at country and regional levels as part of the 鈥楥ountry and regional public sector finances鈥�, although this is on an accruals basis so will not align exactly with the Annual听VAT听厂迟补迟颈蝉迟颈肠蝉.

The figures provided on听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 relate to the net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability declared by businesses on听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 that have been processed by听HMRC. The source data on which it is based can be subject to revisions as a result of assessments or litigation and so these figures should be treated as provisional.

In addition this data is grouped by return date (the final month of the return period), whereas the other data sources will be based on date of receipt, and these will not be the same due to the rules governing when traders are required to submit their return.

VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 boxes

贰补肠丑听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 box is recorded with its own abbreviated title in听HMRC听data. Further information on听VAT听boxes can be found on听How to fill in and submit your听VAT听Return (VAT听Notice 700/12)

贬辞尘别听VAT听input tax and output tax

VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 are summed over the financial year to calculate total annual input tax and output tax amounts. Total input tax corresponds to Box 4 in a听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 form, tax deductible (such as reclaimable as input tax) on goods/services purchased during the period (including on acquisitions from the听EC听and 滨尘辫辞谤迟听VAT).

Total output tax corresponds to Box 3 in a听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍 form, tax payable on goods/services sold during the fiscal year (Box 1) plus acquisitions from the听EC听(Box 2).

2.3 VAT听trader data

The summary statistics in this publication, excluding those relating to听VAT听cash receipts and DIY Housebuilders, are based on a summary dataset 鈥� known as the听VAT听Annual Extract 鈥� used for analysis in听HMRC.

This consistent dataset is created annually as a baseline for analysis; it is a summary of听VAT听谤别迟耻谤苍蝉 level information and trader level information for the financial year. The data are compiled into a single table holding one record/trader for all traders.

For each听VAT听registered entity there is relevant听VAT听information covering the unique听VAT听registration number, the relevant trade sector for that entity, any听VAT听schemes the entity uses, trader status etc.

The trade groups that have been used are those described in the 2007 standard industrial classification of economic activities, details of which can be found on the听.

The trade groups are taken from businesses鈥� entries on听HMRC听systems. They will relate to the main economic activity of that business, even though each business could perform a range of activities. This classification should therefore not be taken as a precise indication of the economic activity in each group.

2.4 VAT听辫辞辫耻濒补迟颈辞苍

The data source for new registrations and deregistrations is administrative data from the听VAT听Data Mart, a central database held by听HMRC听which contains live information on the听VAT听辫辞辫耻濒补迟颈辞苍.

The live trader population is calculated as the previous month鈥檚 live trader population plus this month鈥檚 new registrations minus this month鈥檚 deregistrations.

Population figures from the听VAT听Annual Extract dataset in this factsheet refer to the active trader population during the year; those听VAT听registered traders live at 31 March of the financial year or who had submitted a non-nil return during the financial year.

Traders are recorded as not live if they are recorded as a missing trader before the end of the financial year. If this information is not available it is because the trader has deregistered before the end of the financial year.

This is in contrast to previous versions of these statistics where only traders live at the end of the financial year were included in the analysis.

2.5 Registered traders

Businesses need to听register for听VAT听when their turnover of听VAT听taxable goods and services is over the听VAT听registration threshold; businesses below the听VAT听registration threshold may also choose to voluntarily register.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) publishes听Business Population Estimates, which provides information on the total number of private sector businesses. Further information is provided on the employment and turnover in these businesses.

罢丑别听ONS听辫耻产濒颈蝉丑别蝉听, which contains data on births, deaths and survival rates of businesses.

罢丑别听VAT听registration data the听ONS听uses in the Business Demography publication will not match听HMRC听VAT听registrations data. 罢丑别听ONS听data includes听PAYE-registered enterprises and excludes some businesses that would be recorded separately in听HMRC听data.

Further adjustments are also made to the听ONS听series to better reflect business start-ups and closures and so indicates the number of businesses that are actually trading at any one time. New registrations and de-registrations on the听VAT听Data Mart are a reflection of occurrences of the听VAT听registration and de-registration process.

2.6 VAT听turnover

Turnover in these statistics refers to the annual turnover declared on traders鈥� returns, excluding听VAT听(absolute turnover figures are used, hence for traders only registered for part of the year their returns are not scaled and values will only cover part of the year). This is taken to correspond to the financial year equivalent of Box 6 of the听VAT听Return (includes supplies to other听EC听member states from Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021).

Businesses below the听VAT听registration threshold limit are those that have voluntarily registered or registered traders whose turnover has not gone below the听VAT听deregistration threshold. Businesses may be able to voluntarily register for听VAT听with the same responsibilities as those who must register.

Registering may be beneficial, allowing a business to charge听VAT听on sales and claim back听VAT听on purchases. This would be advantageous for businesses if for example they sell to other听VAT听registered businesses, and also if they sell zero-rated goods or no goods and buy standard-rated goods they are normally able to claim back a听VAT听refund from听HMRC.

3. VAT听Annual Statistics methodology

3.1 Statistical quality

HMRC鈥檚 statement on statistical quality is published in听HMRC: Official Statistics.

These statistics are based on administrative data sources and undergo a thorough internal quality-assurance procedure before publication. The 鈥�VAT听annual and quarterly receipts鈥� statistics are aligned with听HMRC鈥檚 Trust Statement, which is audited by the National Audit Office.

In order to ensure that we are fully complying with the National Statistics Code of Practice and our obligations under Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA, which makes it clear听HMRC听must not disclose taxpayer information to anyone, unless there is lawful authority to do so), we have reviewed the outputs in this table.

As a result, we have suppressed some values. Where this suppression has occurred, we have indicated this with a 鈥楽UPP鈥�.

3.2 Rounding policy

Cash receipts are rounded to the nearest million pounds if less than 100, nearest 10 million if less than 9,999 and nearest 100 million if more than 9,999. Financial figures sourced from the听VAT听Annual Extract are rounded to the nearest 拢10m. The number of traders and trader populations have been rounded to the nearest 10 million if less than 9,999 and nearest 100 million if more than 9,999.

Any inconsistency between the totals and their constituent parts, or any inconsistency between the text and the tables, is due to the totals and commentary being calculated using unrounded data.

Please see below definitions of symbols used in the data tables:

• 鈥榌x]鈥� indicates no information or data not available
• 0 may be used to refer to amounts greater than zero but not rounding to 1

3.3 Revisions policy

Any receipts data that has been revised will be marked with 鈥榌Revised]鈥� and an explanation provided as appropriate.

4. VAT听Annual Statistics guidance

4.1 Structural reliefs

The estimated costs of tax expenditures and structural reliefs, and the illustrative effects of tax changes, can be found on the 扒哥吃瓜 website.

4.2 Revenue effects of Budget measures

The estimated effects of Budget policy decisions for the latest year听can be found on the 扒哥吃瓜 website.

5. Contacts

For general enquiries about听VAT听please go to听VAT: detailed information听or contact the听VAT听Helpline on 0300 200 3700.

6. Publication calendar

We aim to publish the Value Added Tax (VAT) Statistics annually. This release, covering data up to 2024 to 2025, was published on 03 December 2025 at 9:30am. The next release, covering 2025 to 2026 will be published winter 2026.

Before December 2018, the publication was formerly called 鈥�VAT听Factsheet鈥� and was published at the archived , which can be accessed via the National Archives.

7. User engagement

This release incorporates the following changes to the tables outlined in the听Consultation on changes to听HMRC听statistics publications 2025:

• combining tables 3 and 4a into one table (table 3)
• adding a sector level total to table 4b (table 4)
• combining tables 5a1 and 8 (table 5a1)
• removing tables 10a and 10b
• adding total Net 贬辞尘别听VAT听liability to table 11 (table 9)

A consultation on changes to听HMRC听statistics publications was held between 6 January 2025 and 10 April 2025 and the results have been听published.

HMRC听are committed to improving the official statistics we publish. We want to encourage and promote user engagement, so we can improve our statistical outputs.

We would welcome any feedback and suggestions you may have relating to the Annual听VAT听厂迟补迟颈蝉迟颈肠蝉.

E-mail:听revenuemonitoring@hmrc.gov.uk

8. Related statistics

National statistics for cash receipts for all听HMRC听administered taxes are published in听HM Revenue and Customs receipts statistics.

HMRC听publishes a Tax Gap for听VAT. Official statistics on Tax Gaps are published in听Measuring Tax Gaps.

The estimated costs of tax expenditures and structural reliefs, and the illustrative effects of tax changes are published in听Tax expenditures and ready reckoners.

罢丑别听ONS听and HM Treasury publish听, which covers tax receipts from all taxes on the听ONS听website.

VAT听谤别肠别颈辫迟蝉 are forecast by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and published on the听.