VAT Scheme Selection Advice

What VAT scheme selection advice covers

Choosing a VAT scheme is not just a tick box. It can affect your VAT bill, cash flow, pricing, and how much bookkeeping work sits behind each return.

This service typically includes:

• Checking eligibility for common schemes (Standard, Cash Accounting, Flat Rate, Annual Accounting).
• Reviewing how you charge customers and pay suppliers, including timing of invoices and payments.
• Estimating the VAT and cash flow impact across different schemes.
• Flagging scheme risks and restrictions, such as Flat Rate limited cost trader rules.
• Considering practical admin, reporting, and how the scheme works in your cloud accounting.
• Confirming the best option and outlining the steps to switch or set up.

When this service is most useful

This is a good fit if you are:

• Registering for VAT and want to choose the right scheme from the start.
• Unsure whether the Flat Rate Scheme will actually save money.
• Experiencing cash flow pressure and want to align VAT payments with when you get paid.
• Changing your pricing, margins, or supplier mix.
• Moving from sole trader to limited company, or changing how you bill clients.

How the advice is delivered

We start with a short fact find to understand what you sell, your typical customers, and your main costs. We then review recent figures (or forecasts if you are newly VAT registered) and run comparisons between the schemes that you can use.

You receive a clear recommendation, with a summary of:

• Expected VAT cost differences
• Cash flow implications
• Admin and record keeping requirements
• Any actions needed in your bookkeeping process

After the recommendation

If you decide to proceed, we can help you implement the change by confirming the effective date, updating bookkeeping settings, and setting out how to handle invoicing and VAT return treatment going forward. We can also review the decision periodically, as the best scheme can change as your turnover, costs, or services evolve.