Vat Bad Debt Relief : What to claim using a Margin Scheme

From 1 May 1997, bad debt relief can be claimed on supplies made under VAT margin schemes for second-hand goods, works or art, antiques and collectors’ items, subject to a maximum of the VAT on the margin. If the debt is equal to or less than the profit margin, bad debt relief may be claimed on the VAT fraction of the debt. If the debt is greater than the profit margin, bad debt relief is limited to the VAT fraction of the profit margin, since this is the amount of VAT that will have been paid to us. Where a notice is required to be sent to the business’s customer following a claim, it does not need to show a breakdown of the VAT for supplies made under a margin scheme. The example below shows the amount of bad debt relief that will be allowable for supplies under a margin scheme.

Example

If you:

You can find further details in Notice 718 Margin schemes for second-hand goods, works of art, antiques and collectors’ items.

By HMRC