VAT FUEL SCALE CHARGE ADVICE 2016/17
Are you a VAT registered company? Do you provide fuel for your employees when they use company vehicles? Do you or your employees use these vehicles for personal and business use? If so you are able to recover VAT on fuel used for business purposes via input tax and then account for the VAT applying to private use using fixed charges outlined below. You simply add the appropriate charge to your output tax.
HOW FUEL SCALE CHARGES WORK
The VAT Fuel Scale Charge System is a simplified way of taxing the private use of motor fuel. You can reclaim all VAT paid on fuel (used for both private and business purposes) as input tax. You then add the appropriate fuel scale charge to your output tax which takes into account the VAT claimed on the privately used fuel.
The VAT Fuel Scale Charge allows you to pay VAT on private usage without the need to keep a record of the precise miles used for both private and business mileage however we would suggest that you still monitor mileage and it could be that the fuel scale charge is more than the VAT reclaimed.
When the Fuel Scale Charges must apply
VAT Fuel Scale Charges apply when the entire amount of VAT you pay on fuel is reclaimed via your input VAT. An output VAT charge is then made via the VAT Fuel Scale Charge. It also follows from this that if your company vehicles are not used for private usage, there’s no need to consider Fuel Scale Charges.
MAKING SENSE OF THE FUEL SCALE CHARGES TABLE
Below is a table listing the VAT Fuel Scale Charges applying from 1 May 2016. You will need the vehicle’s CO2 emissions and then the table states the amount of VAT due on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis in accordance with your VAT periods.
Click here if you do not have this information to hand. Simply enter in your vehicle registration and the DVLA’s system will reveal the correct emissions for your vehicle.
Then simply use the table below to match your emissions figure to the amount of VAT due.
Description of vehicle: vehicles CO2 emissions figure VAT inclusive consideration for a 12 month prescribed accounting period VAT inclusive consideration for a 3 month prescribed accounting period VAT inclusive consideration for a 1 month prescribed accounting period 120 or less 536 133 44 125 802 200 66 130 857 213 70 135 909 227 75 140 965 240 80 145 1016 254 84 150 1072 267 88 155 1123 281 93 160 1179 294 97 165 1231 308 102 170 1286 320 106 175 1338 334 111 180 1393 347 115 185 1445 361 119 190 1501 374 124 195 1552 388 129 200 1608 401 133 205 1660 415 138 210 1715 428 142 215 1767 441 146 220 1822 455 151 225 or more 1874 468 155HOW TO USE THE ABOVE TABLE
If you submit your VAT return every year, refer to the charges in column two. If you submit your VAT return every 3 months, refer to the charges in column three. If you submit your VAT return every 1 months, refer to the charges in column one. Then add this figure to the output box (box 1) on the VAT form.
WHEN TO AVOID VAT FUEL SCALE CHARGES
If your fuel costs are low, you may wish to avoid VAT Fuel Scale Charges. Why? Because the Fuel Scale Charges will be greater than the VAT you wish to reclaim, effectively resulting in a loss. However, if you elect to not utilise the Charges, you must follow this policy for all of your company vehicles. You cannot ‘cherry pick’ different rules for different vehicles in order to avoid paying tax.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information and help you might find the following links useful:
- The Financial Management Centre’s VAT Return services
- The Government’s official Fuel Scale Charges guidance
GETTING HELP
If this confuses you, why not opt for The Financial Management Centre’s affordable and reliable VAT return service. This service is inclusive of Road Fuel Scale Charges.
We have recently written an updated article on VAT Fuel Scale Charges in 2021.
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