The short answer
Start with MTD VAT availability and eligibility. In an enabled environment, open Tax → VAT, choose an owned business and its records, enter the VAT number and authorise VAT separately. Visiting the workspace does not link records or authorise HMRC.
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.
Who can use the current preview?
The current preview supports a SimpleTaxFlow customer with an eligible owned business discovered through the Income Tax HMRC connection. The VAT workspace validates that business identifier against the signed-in account. Adding a local property or a bookkeeping entry alone does not create the required HMRC business.
A VAT-only customer without an Income Tax-discovered business is not supported by the current preview. You can still use the ordinary bookkeeping tools; do not enter an unrelated business or another person’s identifier to get past setup. Broader business-identity support would require a separate release.
Check the calculations before setup
The current calculation journey handles dated domestic sales and purchases with standard (20%), reduced (5%), zero, exempt and outside-scope treatments. You must choose the correct tax dates and treatment for your accounting arrangement.
Flat Rate, retail and margin scheme calculations are not provided. Import and reverse-charge calculations, nine-box spreadsheet bridging, automatic filing and paying VAT through SimpleTaxFlow are not advertised as supported. If your circumstances involve specialist treatment, check them with your accountant before relying on this journey.
1. Check availability and entitlement
Read the current release status first. In an enabled preview, you need full plan access before saving a VAT registration. If access has ended or you have no plan, use the established annual-plan chooser; do not expect registration to work merely because you can keep ordinary bookkeeping records.
Check availability2. Connect and discover your business
Open business setup, confirm your sole-trader, landlord or mixed-income profile, save the required NI number and connect the Income Tax HMRC account. The browser then checks your businesses. If the lookup fails, retry it; a failed lookup is not proof that you have no business. If none is discovered, review eligibility and your HMRC account. Start bookkeeping and Finish later remain available.
Read account setup guidance3. Open Tax → VAT
When VAT is enabled, use the VAT choice at the top of Tax or the direct Overview shortcut. If the business prerequisite is missing, Continue business setup takes you through the real discovery route and returns you to VAT after successful completion. An unavailable workspace cannot be enabled by following a link.
Check VAT availability4. Choose the registration and record sources
Choose the owned primary business, then explicitly select every additional SimpleTaxFlow business or property whose transactions belong to the same VAT registration. Keep unrelated registrations separate. Enter the nine-digit VAT registration number; spaces and punctuation are ignored. Review the sources before saving: visiting the page does not save an association.
Understand bookkeeping records5. Connect the separate VAT HMRC account
Choose Connect with HMRC and sign in with the Government Gateway account authorised for that VAT number. SimpleTaxFlow checks access after you return. The Income Tax connection remains separate, even when both use the same Government Gateway login. An account mismatch does not mean the saved VAT number has been deleted.
Check HMRC return guidance6. Recover setup and prepare the return
For denied access, check the number or reconnect with an authorised account. A saved number is display context, not proof of access. Use the explicit change/remove controls only when you intend to change setup; disconnect first when required. Removing setup retains submission and audit history. Retry a temporary lookup failure before changing the registration, then use Current return or Returns to choose a period.
Prepare a VAT returnBefore you move on
- Live filing availability has been checked.
- The owned business was actually discovered, rather than inferred from a local property.
- Plan access and trial timing are understood.
- Every included record source belongs to this VAT registration.
- The saved VAT number and the authorised HMRC account match.
- The separate VAT connection has verified access.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set up VAT without an Income Tax-discovered business?
That customer model is not supported in the current preview. Ordinary bookkeeping remains available. Do not use an unrelated business to bypass this prerequisite.
Does connecting Income Tax also connect VAT?
No. VAT uses a separate authorisation and access check for the saved VAT number.
When does a VAT customer’s trial start?
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.
Does every landlord need VAT filing?
No. A landlord profile alone is not evidence that VAT applies. Check the VAT treatment of the actual activity with HMRC or your accountant.
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.
Continue learning