VAT Receipts for HMRC Expense Claims: What You Need
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To reclaim VAT or support a UK business expense, HMRC needs a valid VAT receipt, not just a card statement. Here is what counts.
Quick Answer
A valid VAT receipt for HMRC shows the supplier’s VAT number, the date, a description of the goods or services, the VAT rate and amount, and the total. Under £250 a simplified VAT receipt is acceptable.
Full vs simplified VAT receipts
For purchases over £250, HMRC expects a full VAT receipt with the supplier and customer details. Under £250, a simplified VAT receipt showing the supplier’s VAT number, date, description, rate, and gross total is enough. Keep records for at least six years.
Keep clean records
If a supplier’s receipt is missing or illegible, rebuild a clear copy from your records with our UK receipt templates. Read more in What is a VAT receipt?.
Create a compliant VAT receipt
Add the supplier, VAT number, and totals, then download a clean PDF.
FAQ
No. HMRC requires a VAT receipt or invoice showing the supplier’s VAT number and the tax charged, a statement alone is not sufficient.
Generally six years for VAT-registered businesses.
