VAT grouping and divisional registration guidance updated

By   9 February 2024

HMRC has update VAT Notice 700/2: Group and divisional registration.

VAT group registration

VAT grouping is a facilitation measure by which two or more eligible persons can be treated as a single taxable person for VAT purposes. Eligible persons are bodies corporate, individuals, partnerships and Scottish partnerships, provided that certain conditions are satisfied. Bodies corporate includes companies of all types and limited liability partnerships.

The pros and cons of VAT grouping here

Divisional registration

This is a facility that allows a corporate body which carries on its business through a number of self-accounting units to register each of those units or divisions separately for VAT. Guidance on divisional registration is in section 9.

Updates

Recent updates include:

  • Information on what happens if HMRC refuses your application and how to request a paper VAT1 form 
  • The list of notifications a business may receive while waiting for a VAT grouping registration number, has been updated at section 2.17. A new section about late payment submission penalties has been added at section 5.11.