Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

VAT definition

What does VAT mean? VAT is a consumption tax on most supplies of goods and services made by taxable businesses to businesses or consumers. In practice, it underpins pricing (plus VAT), invoicing, cross‑border trade and many property transactions. The charge and key concepts are set out in the UK Value Added Tax Act 1994 and, in Ireland, the Value‑Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 (implementing the EU VAT Directive). In Northern Ireland, EU VAT rules continue to apply to goods under the Windsor Framework; services follow UK rules. Core features include: output tax charged at standard, reduced or zero rates; exempt supplies (for example, certain...

UK VAT place of supply for land and land-related services: rules, definitions, legal/professional services, reverse charge and registration

Published by a LexisNexis Tax expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note considers the vat place of supply rules for property transactions and related services. For guidance on where supplies of other services, or of goods, are treated as made, see Practice Notes: VAT place of supply rules—where is a supply made? and VAT place of supply rules—special rules for services. This Practice Note includes references to EU legislation, guidance and case law. For discussion of the continuing effect of EU law in the UK after the end of the Brexit implementation period on 31 December 2020, see Practice Note: Retained EU law and tax. Unless stated otherwise, all judgments of the EU Court of Justice mentioned in this Practice Note were determined before the end of the Brexit implementation period.

Why does this matter?

UK VAT is chargeable only when the supply is regarded as made in the UK. If not, it falls outside the scope of UK VAT, though VAT may arise in another country. For most services, the position is determined by where the parties are established (see Practice Note: VAT place of supply rules—where is a supply made?), but for land-related services it depends on the location of the property...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Martin Scammell

Martin Scammell is an independent VAT consultant, specialising in property and construction matters, who works with tax departments in major corporates and universities, and with a number of law and accountancy firms. He is the author of the leading reference work on VAT and property.Martin started out in VAT Policy in Customs & Excise, was a Partner at Ernst & Young, where he headed up the VAT real estate group, and then became head of indirect tax at Eversheds.He has been involved in the development of VAT legislation and policy over many years, and regularly serves on working parties established by HMRC. He was a member of the Office of Tax Simplification’s consultative committee for their review of VAT in 2017, and in 2018-19 of HMRC’s external stakeholder group considering the proposed reverse charge for building work. Martin currently works with HMRC as...

Web page updated on 22/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...