16/10/2018
Making Tax Digital for Charities
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is less than 6 months away and the new legislation will affect charities who are VAT registered and above the £85,000 VAT turnover threshold. The new legislation is designed to transform the current UK Tax system and will require charities to submit their VAT returns digitally.
The key things to check to ensure you’re ready are:
- Software – Is it compliant? If you are using an online accounting software, it needs to be able to receive information from HMRC via an API (Application Programme Interface).
- Budget for the cost – You may need to make an allowance in your budget for the upgrading of current software or the purchase of new software to ensure your compliance.
- When your VAT quarter falls – You will need to check in what quarter your VAT return is due as this will determine your back stop date. This may mean that you have a few more months to comply, so it’s important to check now.
| VAT Return Quarters | MTD Start Date |
| Ending 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 December | 1 April 2019 |
| Ending 30 April, 31 July, 31 October, 31 January | 1 May 2019 |
| Ending 31 May, 31 August, 30 November, 28 Feburary | 1 June 2019 |
The deadline is very close now and is proving challenging for all businesses, especially charities. For those still using manual records or spreadsheets, an alternative spreadsheet method is being worked on and commercial developers are exploring a bridging software to assist charities who have more complex requirements so they are able to meet the 1 April 2019 deadline.
We would recommend that you review the above points and make sure your charity is on track for the transition before the deadline.
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