Active
Vatable
Vatable is a free, independent reference tool for looking up the UK VAT treatment of everyday goods and services, built to make VAT easier to understand, not harder.
Why it exists
HMRC’s VAT guidance is accurate, but it is spread across long notices written in legal language and organised around legislation. Most people just want to know: “do I charge VAT on this, or not?”
Vatable takes HMRC’s published VAT rate classifications and presents them as a searchable, browsable table: one clear answer per item, a plain-English summary of what it means for charging and reclaiming VAT, and a link to the official notice it comes from.
The five treatments
| Treatment | VAT charged | Reclaim VAT on costs |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 20% | Normally yes |
| Reduced | 5% | Normally yes |
| Zero-rated | 0% | Normally yes |
| Exempt | None | Normally no |
| Out of scope | None | Not affected |
Zero-rated is not the same as exempt.Zero-rated supplies are still taxable, just at 0%, so VAT on related costs can normally be reclaimed. Exempt supplies are not taxable, so it usually cannot.
Sources and limits
Classifications are based on HMRC’s published VAT notices, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Vatable is not affiliated with HMRC or any government department and is not professional tax advice. VAT treatment can depend on the facts of a supply, so use it as a starting point and confirm anything important with official HMRC guidance or a qualified tax professional.