Online VAT - Will they force you to do it online?

[joey122]

I personally like filling out the form and keeping a copy - Do you know if they will stop you from having this option?

I Have heard everything is going to get done online so no more paper forms

Is that the case?

[centurian]

All new VAT registrations have to be online. For existing companies with low turnovers, they can keep on paper - for now. But HMRC have hinted it is only a matter of time.

Once it's set up - it's dead easy. Money comes out via direct debit. Takes a few minutes to submit.

[lje]

I personally like filling out the form and keeping a copy - Do you know if they will stop you from having this option?

I Have heard everything is going to get done online so no more paper forms

Is that the case?

When you fill in the form online you are able to download a copy of the 'form' which you have filled in.

[scooterscot]

Once it's set up - it's dead easy. Takes a few minutes to submit.

I never believe anything takes just a few minutes on the HMRC website.

Paper works why fix it?

[AtW]

Paper works why fix it?

Processing of paperwork costs far more than it should be.

[xoggoth]

Online is fine provided they stick to tried and tested web form based methods that seem to be perfectly ok for every other secure use. If IE isn't working you can always use any of four other free browsers.

With solutions based on proprietary programs that run on your own PC you are screwed if they don't work. Last year HMRC' systems were working fine, much better than some commercial systems I could mention and then they foisted all this Adobe based crap on us.

[SueEllen]

I never believe anything takes just a few minutes on the HMRC website.

Paper works why fix it?

Online VAT use to take a few minutes to do and worked very well.

Unfortunately now they have decided to try and force everyone to do it,lt in the last 6 months:
1. The form would allow you to enter your figures for flat rate VAT then autocorrect them when you submitted it so you weren't on flat rate VAT so you had to write to them to correct you VAT figures.
2. Once the above was sorted they changed their system so you have to enter your username and password every time you tried to do something.

The main problem is that the system wasn't broken last September but now they are trying to fix issues that don't exist.

[pmeswani]

When you fill in the form online you are able to download a copy of the 'form' which you have filled in.

One can print out the stuff that have been entered. I've been doing this pretty much since I had started contracting.

[kaiser78]

Online filing only affects those ltd companies with turnover above £100k. Otherwise paper if fine still.