The short answer
In the enabled MTD VAT preview, choose the obligation, resolve the records, review the nine boxes and adjustments, and submit only through the explicit declaration and Submit to HMRC action. Live filing is not yet available.
Availability and cost
VAT filing coming soon.
The intended VAT bundle has no additional VAT feature fee on the SimpleTaxFlow subscription. See Pricing for the current introductory offer and monthly or annual renewal, excluding VAT. Live VAT filing is not included as an available service today.
In the enabled preview, VAT setup requires an active subscription before VAT registration. First-time subscribers start at £1 + VAT/month for six months, then renew at £5 + VAT/month or £50 + VAT/year when selected; payment starts immediately. Annual billing starts after the introduction. The introductory offer does not repeat on resubscription.
VAT returns and Income Tax updates are separate
The VAT workspace follows VAT obligations and produces nine VAT boxes. Income Tax quarterly updates belong to the Income Tax filing journey and do not replace a VAT return. A VAT obligation may use different period dates from your Income Tax quarter.
This guide assumes that an owned business, explicit sources, a VAT number, entitlement and the separate VAT connection are already configured. Read the setup guide if any prerequisite is missing.
Know what the calculation covers
The calculation uses the selected SimpleTaxFlow records and supported domestic VAT treatments. An empty preview does not prove that no VAT is due: records may be held elsewhere or may still be missing. Confirm the appropriate empty-period coverage decision only after checking the whole registration.
Flat Rate, retail and margin calculations are excluded. Do not treat adjustments as an automatic substitute for an unsupported scheme or specialist import/reverse-charge calculation. Ask your accountant how to handle a transaction outside the supported arrangements.
1. Choose the obligation
Open VAT from Overview or Tax. Current return shows the next open period; Returns lists open and submitted periods. Confirm the start, end and due date before reviewing. If there is no open period, that is a separate state from a failed obligations read. Retry a failed read through its recovery action.
Check VAT availability2. Resolve the records and coverage
Review unresolved transactions and confirm the VAT rate/treatment for each. Bulk treatment has a preview; remembered rules apply only within their stated registration, source and direction scope. Inspect the attributed rule/version and resolve conflicts. Transaction-only changes and future-rule changes have different effects. An empty period requires the explicit coverage decision; never assume a zero return because the table is empty.
Review bookkeeping evidence3. Review nine boxes and contributions
After the records are ready, inspect the calculated nine boxes. Use contribution drill-down to check which transactions produced each total. Adjustments are a separate task with their own history; review the reason and revision. Make no change merely to force a desired total. If calculation fails, use the explicit retry action after correcting its cause.
Read VAT setup and calculation limits4. Check freshness and warnings
A changed record source, treatment, remembered rule, coverage decision or adjustment can make a saved draft stale. Recalculate when prompted, then review the new figures and acknowledge applicable warnings. Returning to the page restores scoped saved preparation read-only; it does not confirm your declaration. Keep blocked or uncertain states intact while recovering.
Understand retained evidence5. Make the declaration and submit explicitly
Read the exact declaration served for the current draft. Confirm the checkbox only after reviewing the figures and warnings, then use Submit to HMRC. The action performs readiness checks before dispatch. Opening Help, moving between pages or restoring a draft must not declare or submit on your behalf. Filing acceptance is distinct from paying any VAT due.
Check HMRC’s filing rules6. Retain the receipt or recover the outcome
After acceptance, keep the receipt, final figures and underlying evidence. Returns reloads saved service receipt history; a return filed elsewhere is distinguished from unavailable local history. Processing, uncertain and action-required states are not successful receipts. Follow the existing read-only status/recovery guidance and contact support when required; do not resend an uncertain command or refresh repeatedly to try to create another submission.
Open help and supportBefore you move on
- The selected obligation and record sources are correct.
- Unresolved treatments and any empty-period coverage decision have been reviewed.
- The nine boxes, contributions and adjustments have been checked.
- The draft is fresh and required warnings are acknowledged.
- The exact declaration is confirmed only when ready to submit.
- A receipt or protected recovery state is retained; no uncertain submission is retried.
Frequently asked questions
Will SimpleTaxFlow file automatically?
No. The enabled preview requires review, the exact declaration and an explicit Submit to HMRC action. Live filing remains unavailable today.
What if there are no transactions?
Check the selected sources and whether any records are missing or held elsewhere. Use the explicit empty-period coverage decision; an empty table alone is not evidence for a zero return.
What should I do with an uncertain submission?
Keep the stored outcome and use read-only status recovery. Do not submit again or discard the recovery state. Follow any action-required guidance and contact support when instructed.
Does acceptance mean my VAT has been paid?
No. Filing and payment are separate. SimpleTaxFlow does not take VAT payments; use HMRC’s payment guidance and do not infer that a payment clears a particular liability.
Check the official rules
Tax rules can change and individual circumstances matter. Use HMRC’s current guidance to confirm the treatment that applies to you.
Put the guide into practice.
Check the current VAT release status and prerequisites before planning your next return.
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