Key facts
- Account for VAT when you receive payment, not when you invoice.
- Reclaim input VAT when you pay your suppliers, not when they invoice you.
- Eligibility: VAT taxable turnover must be £1.35 million or less.
- Built-in bad debt relief — you never pay VAT on debts your customers don’t pay.
How VAT Cash Accounting Differs from Standard Accounting
Under the standard (accruals) method, you account for VAT when you issue or receive an invoice. Under Cash Accounting, you account for VAT based on the date of payment:[1]
- Output VAT: Included on your return when the customer pays you
- Input VAT: Reclaimed when you pay your supplier
Eligibility
- VAT taxable turnover must be £1.35 million or less[3]
- You must be up to date with VAT returns and payments
- You must not have been convicted of a VAT offence in the last 12 months
You must leave the scheme if your turnover exceeds £1.6 million.
Benefits
- Better cash flow — you don’t pay VAT to HMRC until your customer has paid you
- Automatic bad debt relief — if a customer never pays, you never account for the VAT
- Simpler for small businesses with irregular payment patterns
Drawbacks
- You can’t reclaim input VAT until you’ve paid the supplier (slower reclaims)
- Need to track payment dates as well as invoice dates
- Cannot be combined with the Flat Rate Scheme (though FRS has its own cash-based option)
How to Join
You don’t need to tell HMRC — just start using cash accounting from the beginning of your next VAT period. However, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria first.[1]
Tip: Cash Accounting works especially well for businesses that give credit terms to customers (30, 60, 90 days). You won’t need to pay VAT to HMRC before your customer has paid you.
Cash vs Accruals: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Cash Accounting | Accruals (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| When output VAT is due | When payment received | When invoice issued |
| When input VAT is reclaimed | When payment made | When invoice received |
| Bad debt relief | Automatic | Must claim separately |
| Best for | Businesses giving credit | Businesses receiving prompt payment |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the VAT Cash Accounting Scheme?
It lets you account for VAT based on when you receive and make payments rather than when invoices are issued. This improves cash flow because you don’t pay HMRC until your customer has paid you.
Who can use the VAT Cash Accounting Scheme?
You can use it if your VAT taxable turnover is £1.35 million or less, you are up to date with VAT returns and payments, and you have not been convicted of a VAT offence in the last 12 months.
Does the Cash Accounting Scheme give automatic bad debt relief?
Yes. Because you only account for output VAT when your customer pays you, if they never pay, you never owe HMRC the VAT on that sale.
Do I need to tell HMRC to start using Cash Accounting?
No. You can simply start using cash accounting from the beginning of your next VAT period without notifying HMRC, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.
Further Reading
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Sources
- Cash Accounting Scheme for VAT — GOV.UK
- VAT guide (VAT Notice 700) — GOV.UK
- Cash accounting (VAT Notice 731) — GOV.UK