If you can't find the answer to your question on the HMRC website, the quickest and easiest way is to ring the VAT helpline where you can get the most of your VAT questions answered. Before you ring, make sure you have your VAT registration number and postcode to hand. If you're not VAT registered you'll need your postcode.
Please note that the VAT Helpline cannot agree time to pay, or take payments over the phone. To find out more about paying HMRC VAT, follow the link 'How to pay VAT' in the Check our website section above.
Opening hours
8.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday Closed weekends and bank holidays
0845 010 9000
For customers who are deaf or hearing or speech impaired:
0845 000 0200 (Textphone)
A textphone allows you to type what you want to say rather than speaking into a mouthpiece. You can use a textphone instead of a voice telephone if you are deaf or have problems with your speech. It is not possible to speak to an adviser by phoning a textphone number.
If you're calling from abroad please telephone:
+44 2920 501 261
If you need help with a technical problem with VAT online services, you can telephone 0845 010 8500. You can also use this number if you need information about the ‘known facts’ required to enrol for VAT Online services.
If you have a question about VAT relief for disabled and older people you can call the helpline by following the link below.
You can email a question relating to one of the following online services:
-VAT: Submit VAT Returns, request your Effective Date of Registration, Change Registration Details, EU Refunds, EC Sales List (ECSL), Reverse Charge Sales List (RCSL) -Agents: Online Agent Authorisation, VAT for Agents -Alcohol and Tobacco Warehousing Declarations (ATWD)
By submitting information to us directly by using special forms on our website your message is secure, but our email reply to you, which will be sent over the internet, is not. Information sent by email over the internet is not secure and is at risk of being intercepted and read by people other than those it was intended for. If our response to you contains any personal or confidential information we will only reply to you by letter or telephone.
If you have any doubt about the authenticity of an email you receive which claims to have come from HMRC please do not follow any links within the email, disclose any personal details or respond to it.
Follow the link below to report HMRC related phishing emails.
Where possible HMRC strongly recommends that you submit your questions about VAT by email. HMRC can reply to your question more quickly this way. Only particularly long questions or those where you need to attach something should be sent by post.
This guide contains information about how and where to write to HMRC if you have questions about VAT. It also includes a check list of things you'll need to tell HMRC when you write to them.
