PRICE GUIDE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · 2026–2027
VAT Returns cost in the UK
£50–£350 per return. Typically £150.
An accountant charges £50–£350 per VAT return in the UK, with about £150 typical. A simple quarterly return from figures you prepare is cheapest; one built from your raw records, with partial exemption or special schemes, costs the most.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a VAT returns cost in the UK?
| Low end | £50 | a simple return from your own figures |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £150 | what most people pay |
| High end | £350 | a return built from raw records with special schemes |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the accountants, solicitors and professional firms near you.
What moves the price
- Who prepares the figures — a return from your own reconciled figures costs less than one built from raw records
- Number of transactions — more sales and purchases mean more checking before the VAT return is filed
- VAT schemes — flat rate, cash accounting, margin and partial exemption add complexity
- Software — records already in Making Tax Digital software speed up each return
- Errors and corrections — fixing past mistakes adds to the VAT return fee
- Bundled packages — VAT returns inside a monthly accounting package can cost less per quarter
Professional services prices in the UK are up 12% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Other services n.e.c., to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical vat returns would have cost about £155 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7FR →
WHAT YOU GET
What a VAT returns booking includes
Takes: A few hours per quarter for a simple return; longer when records need sorting first. Not included: Bookkeeping, VAT registration advice and annual accounts are priced separately — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common VAT return jobs
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VAT Returns near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Reconcile your own books before each VAT return so the accountant only checks and files
- Use Making Tax Digital software with bank feeds, which speeds up every VAT return
- Ask for VAT returns to be bundled into a monthly accounts package
Before you book
- Keep your VAT records digitally, as Making Tax Digital requires
- Ask the accountant which VAT scheme suits your business best
- Send records well before the filing deadline, which falls one month and seven days after the quarter ends
- Check whether the VAT return fee covers correspondence with HMRC
VAT Returns cost: questions people ask
£50–£350 per return, with about £150 typical. A simple return from your own figures costs the least; a return built from raw records with special schemes costs the most.
A few hours for a simple quarterly return. It takes longer when receipts and invoices need sorting first.
Yes. VAT-registered businesses must keep digital records and file through software that works with Making Tax Digital.
Many small businesses do, using compatible software. An accountant is worth it when records are complex or you use a special VAT scheme.
Bookkeeping, annual accounts and advice on registering or deregistering for VAT are separate.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, drawn from published UK accountant fee guides. They form a national range rather than a quote.
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