VAT charged but suppliers reluctant to issue VAT receipts

[RSR Fulfillment (FR & DE)]

I've only been submitting VAT returns for a couple of years but there are three companies in the expenses that acknolwedge VAT has been charged yet they do not issue me with VAT receipts / invoices.

1. Company owns the vehicle, company paid the inurance, insurance company acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged on the insurance but refuses to issue my company any kind of invoice at all.
2. Company owns the mobile phone, company pays the mobile bill, Tesco Mobile acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged but refuses to issue and kind of invoice at all.
3. M&S refused to issue a VATinvoice a the motorway sevice station for my travel expenses, leaving me to work out what is VATable and what is not and what the amount is. So I now buy my sandwich and coffe at Mcdonalds. But I really would prefer M&S!

Is this all lawful? Or just awful? I canr see how compnaies can get away without clearly explaining the VAT charges by way of receipt.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Its is lawful to shop at M&S and I ask for the receipt and they give it to me

 

[Ziggy2024]

I've only been submitting VAT returns for a couple of years but there are three companies in the expenses that acknolwedge VAT has been charged yet they do not issue me with VAT receipts / invoices.

1. Company owns the vehicle, company paid the inurance, insurance company acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged on the insurance but refuses to issue my company any kind of invoice at all.
2. Company owns the mobile phone, company pays the mobile bill, Tesco Mobile acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged but refuses to issue and kind of invoice at all.
3. M&S refused to issue a VATinvoice a the motorway sevice station for my travel expenses, leaving me to work out what is VATable and what is not and what the amount is. So I now buy my sandwich and coffe at Mcdonalds. But I really would prefer M&S!

Is this all lawful? Or just awful? I canr see how compnaies can get away without clearly explaining the VAT charges by way of receipt.

Short answer is yes, all should provide a VAT invoice especially if it has been specifically requested.

1. It's unusual but not unheard of for insurance to be VATable. They should provide an invoice for this.
2. Is it in a personal name? Phone companies seem to be using this as an excuse not to supply a VAT invoice.
3. Retailers are allowed to use a simplified system if the purchase is below £250. You tend to have to apply to a head office to get a valid VAT invoice.

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

1. Company owns the vehicle, company paid the inurance, insurance company acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged on the insurance but refuses to issue my company any kind of invoice at all.

there is no VAT on car insurance only IPT which you cant claim back on a VAT Return

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

3. M&S refused to issue a VATinvoice a the motorway sevice station for my travel expenses, leaving me to work out what is VATable and what is not and what the amount is. So I now buy my sandwich and coffe at Mcdonalds. But I really would prefer M&S!

simplified vat invoice are issued as till receipts

 

[AlanJ1]

M&S refused to issue a VATinvoice a the motorway sevice station for my travel expenses, leaving me to work out what is VATable and what is not and what the amount is. So I now buy my sandwich and coffe at Mcdonalds. But I really would prefer M&S!

For what this is worth, 99% this won't be owned by M&S and will be a much much smaller company who is franchising.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I've only been submitting VAT returns for a couple of years but there are three companies in the expenses that acknolwedge VAT has been charged yet they do not issue me with VAT receipts / invoices.

1. Company owns the vehicle, company paid the inurance, insurance company acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged on the insurance but refuses to issue my company any kind of invoice at all.
2. Company owns the mobile phone, company pays the mobile bill, Tesco Mobile acknowledged on the phone that VAT is charged but refuses to issue and kind of invoice at all.
3. M&S refused to issue a VATinvoice a the motorway sevice station for my travel expenses, leaving me to work out what is VATable and what is not and what the amount is. So I now buy my sandwich and coffe at Mcdonalds. But I really would prefer M&S!

Is this all lawful? Or just awful? I canr see how compnaies can get away without clearly explaining the VAT charges by way of receipt.

To add to the comments made already are you sure the Tesco mobile account is in the company name and not the name of a director? Generally a mobile phone company will only ever issue VAT invoices for a business account.

You may find it helpful to read up on VAT invoices here

 

[Newchodge]

simplified vat invoice are issued as till receipts

But they still need a VAT number.

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

But they still need a VAT number.

of course - that's one of the conditions of using the simplified vat invoice scheme.

 

[RSR Fulfillment (FR & DE)]

simplified vat invoice are issued as till receipts

not at m&s, there is no vat anywhere on the till receipt, and when i asked, he was the only one working and he said he did not know how to generate a vat receipt, i am sure this is unlawful, failure to issue vat receipts.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

not at m&s, there is no vat anywhere on the till receipt, and when i asked, he was the only one working and he said he did not know how to generate a vat receipt, i am sure this is unlawful, failure to issue vat receipts.

Did you read the information in the link I gave you - it explains the requirements (look at section 4.4)

Record keeping (VAT Notice 700/21)

Find out what records you must keep and how to keep them if you're registered for VAT.

www.gov.uk

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

m&S food halls have the vat number shown on their till receipts.

if this a franchise operator in a services area then maybe they are not vat registered.

 

[Bobbo]

if this a franchise operator in a services area then maybe they are not vat registered.

Whilst theoretically possible I would think incredibly unlikely.

 

[Ziggy2024]

not at m&s, there is no vat anywhere on the till receipt, and when i asked, he was the only one working and he said he did not know how to generate a vat receipt, i am sure this is unlawful, failure to issue vat receipts.

Simplified receipts don't show the VAT breakdown. Generally the VAT registration number can be found, but you have to work out what is VATable yourself.

 

[RSR Fulfillment (FR & DE)]

of course - that's one of the conditions of using the simplified vat invoice scheme.

the simplified vat invoice scheme would save my business as a supplier nothing, since our invoicing software easlily manages whether to charge VAT and by how much, yet we spend extra time when preparing the VAT returns becasue of it. How am I supposed to know which food items carry what VAT, particularly when they don't seem to really know themselves (jaffa cakes).

 

[RSR Fulfillment (FR & DE)]

Simplified receipts don't show the VAT breakdown. Generally the VAT registration number can be found, but you have to work out what is VATable yourself.

Right, and so I now go to McDonalds for my travel meals, since they are wise enough to itemise the VAT on my till receipts. How much money is saved by not including the VAT on a till receipt?