Business
Invoicing, margin & GST calculators
VAT Calculator
Add or remove VAT at UK & EU rates — 20%/5%/0% and more. Accurate, instant and free — for United Kingdom.
What these mean:
Adding 20% VAT on top of the net amount (United Kingdom).
Net amount
£100
VAT · 20%
£20
Gross amount
£120
United Kingdom VAT rates
Flat Rate Scheme
Need a VAT invoice? Use the Invoice Generator. In India use the GST Calculator; in the US, the Sales Tax Calculator.
Add VAT vs remove VAT
VAT (Value Added Tax) is a consumption tax charged on most goods and services in the UK and across the EU. There are two everyday calculations: adding VAT to a net price, and removingit from a VAT-inclusive total. The reverse case is the one people get wrong — you divide the rate out, you don't subtract it.
Add VAT
net → gross
gross = net × (1 + rate ÷ 100)
£100 at 20% → VAT £20, gross £120.
Remove VAT
gross → net
net = gross × 100 ÷ (100 + rate)
£120 at 20% → net £100, VAT included £20. Not gross − 20%.
- 1Use the VAT fraction to find VAT inside a gross bill: At 20% the VAT fraction is 1/6, so on a £120 gross total the VAT is £120 ÷ 6 = £20 and the net is £100.
- 2Turn it into a compliant document: Drop these figures into the Invoice Generator to produce an HMRC-compliant VAT invoice and download it as a PDF.
UK VAT bands and the Flat Rate Scheme
The UK has three VAT rates: 20% standard (most goods and services), 5% reduced (e.g. domestic fuel and power) and 0% zero-rated (most food, books, children's clothing). Zero-rated is still taxable at 0% — different from exemptsupplies (insurance, education, health), where no VAT applies and input VAT generally can't be reclaimed.
Flat Rate Scheme
VAT rates beyond the UK
The same add/remove maths applies in every VAT country — only the rate and currency change. Select a country to load its standard, reduced and zero rates and its currency. Coverage currently spans 7 jurisdictions:
| Country | Standard | Reduced | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 20% | 5%, 0% | GBP |
| Ireland | 23% | 13.5%, 9%, 0% | EUR |
| Germany | 19% | 7% | EUR |
| France | 20% | 10%, 5.5%, 2.1% | EUR |
| Netherlands | 21% | 9% | EUR |
| Spain | 21% | 10%, 4% | EUR |
| Italy | 22% | 10%, 5%, 4% | EUR |
Frequently asked questions
Multiply the net (VAT-exclusive) amount by the VAT rate and add it back: gross = net × (1 + rate ÷ 100). For example, £100 at 20% VAT becomes £100 + £20 = £120. The £20 is the VAT you charge and later pay to HMRC.
Do not simply subtract the rate — divide it out. The net amount = gross × 100 ÷ (100 + rate). For £120 at 20%, the net is 120 × 100 ÷ 120 = £100, and the VAT included is £20. Subtracting 20% of £120 (£24) would be wrong.
The VAT fraction is a shortcut for finding the VAT inside a gross amount. At the UK 20% standard rate it is 1/6, so VAT = gross ÷ 6. On a £120 gross bill, £120 ÷ 6 = £20 of VAT. At 5% the fraction is 1/21. It is just rate ÷ (100 + rate) written as a fraction.
The UK has three VAT rates: 20% standard (most goods and services), 5% reduced (e.g. domestic fuel and power, children’s car seats) and 0% zero-rated (most food, books, and children’s clothing). Zero-rated is still taxable at 0% — different from exempt (e.g. insurance, education), where no VAT applies and input VAT generally can’t be reclaimed.
Under the Flat Rate Scheme (for smaller businesses) you still charge customers the normal 20% VAT, but you pay HMRC a single fixed percentage of your gross (VAT-inclusive) turnover that depends on your trade sector, and you generally can’t reclaim VAT on purchases. This calculator shows standard per-line VAT (add/remove), not the FRS figure — use it to work out the VAT you charge, then apply your flat rate separately.
Yes. Pick a country and the calculator loads its standard, reduced and zero rates and its currency — e.g. Ireland (23%), Germany (19%), France, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. It currently covers 7 jurisdictions (vatnode/eu-vat-rates-data (EC TEDB) + HMRC).
Yes — it is completely free with no sign-up, and every calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored. Rates are for guidance; confirm the correct rate and treatment for your supply before filing a VAT return.
Method, assumptions & references
Methodology: adding VAT → gross = net × (1 + rate/100); removing VAT → net = gross × 100 / (100 + rate). The VAT fraction at rate r is r / (100 + r) — 1/6 at 20%. UK rates: 20% standard, 5% reduced, 0% zero-rated. Per-country rates are versioned in-repo (vatnode/eu-vat-rates-data (EC TEDB) + HMRC) and PR-updated on rate changes.
Cross-links
How we calculate this
Reviewed by Reckonist Editorial · Last reviewed 4 July 2026. Figures follow the methods and sources set out in our editorial standards.
VAT rates and rules change; the rates shown reflect the current standard, reduced and zero-rated bands for each country. Figures are for guidance only — confirm the correct rate and treatment for your supply before filing a VAT return. This is not tax advice.
Keep going
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