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VAT rate changes from 4th January 2011 - how contractors are affected

Posted Jan 3, 2011

The standard rate of VAT rises from 17.5% to 20% on 4th January 2011, and the Flat Rate VAT percentage applicable to most IT contractors also rises from 13% to 14.5%.

For contractors using the Flat Rate VAT scheme, the percentage used for calculations rises from 13% to 14.5% from 4th January 2011 to take into account the change in the standard rate.

Put simply, any invoices relating to work carried out on or after 4th January 2011, must include VAT at the new 20% rate.

Invoices which span the change in VAT rate

Many contractors will have a billing period which spans both the old and new VAT rates.

All invoices raised (or payments received) on or after 4th January should include VAT at 20%.

However, if you wish to, you can include separate entries for the proportion of work (time) spent before and after 4th January 2011 - with the old or new VAT rate charged to to the relevant period.

This is completely up to you, although it seems likely that most contractors will simply opt to invoice with the 20% VAT rate, regardless of whether part of the invoice period fell before 4th January 2011.

In the case of billing which spans the VAT change period, HMRC state that businesses "will have to be able to demonstrate that the apportionment is fair." when splitting out charges at different rates of VAT.

Further information

HMRC has published a heavy duty PDF guide to the VAT change - including Appendix D which contains the new Flat Rate VAT percentages.

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