I think the VAT numbers are on the receipts Pengy .

Not gotta clue to be honest

they're not - I've looked 

Are they asking for the individual drivers VAT numbers though? If so I would imagine that many of them aren't VAT registered (claiming they're under the limit_ theoretically I suppose if they cannot supply a VAT number they should deduct 20% from the bill shouldn't they? If they're not registered they shouldn't be adding VAT to their charges.

The OU assume that they will pay you VAT and then claim it back from the government. I assume that not all taxi firms are registered?

Ah! Success! I couldn't post before. Often when you claim expenses the firm concerned make assumptions that everyone is paying VAT. The OU worry that they will be 20% down as without a VAT receipt they can't claim the money back from HMG. In your situation I think you have to suggest that your very small taxi firm are not registered. If in fact all taxi firms have to be registered then you will need to appeal to a different OU Dept.

thanks for that Joe - I think it's a bit bad that they are asking for this information - if they want it, they've got the contact details so why not go and ask them themselves 

no Soozy just the VAT numbers of the taxi firms themselves - how the hell would I as a customer know if VAT is being charged to the amount they charge me??? 

Somewhere in the OU small print it will say that one needs a VAT receipt for expense claims. A lot of firms remind their employees before trips or whatever. However not all firms are VAT registered.

I'm gonna send them in and say the companies are too small to be VAT registered 

Pengy, unfortunately I think you may have lost out. When you pay for a taxi in future remember to ask the taxi driver for a VAT invoice. If the taxi business, for which the driver is working, is registered for VAT (and it probably is), they have to issue you with a VAT invoice if you request one. That VAT invoice will have to show the VAT registration number on it. The number would probably have 3 digits followed by 4 digits followed by 2 so something like 123 4567 89.

 

I never knew I had to ask for a VAT invoice for these journeys El Loro - they've told me now after the fact which I feel is unfair 

Pengy, it is unfair. I only know because I'm an accountant and when I do someone's VAT return for them I have to go through their bills to get the amount of VAT we can claim back. Sometimes they have forgotten to get a VAT invoice so I can't reclaim the VAT unless they go back to the supplier and get one. Obviously a lot harder to go back to a taxi driver and get one afterwards.

 

Aren't most taxi drivers self employed and simply rent the radio etc. from the Taxi firm?

Oh Pengy what a palava. Hope you get things sorted. seems very unfair. Good luck x

Pengy the problem with Taxis is that most are self employed and pay a central firm a fee to work for them.  

 

Always ask for a receipt of your cab driver, that will have the central firms details on, plus the drivers taxi number.  Unless a receipt has a VAT number on it, VAT cannot be reclaimed.

 

But it is a genuine expense which the OU should recognise.

Yes they are Soozy, and most won't be VAT registered.

If they are they have to produce a receipt on request with reg number & amount taken for VAT.

Just rereading your OP, if it is a big company, they will have a VAT number, so ring the main office and ask them for it.  It might not mean that you have to supply the VAT number with every receipt, just the number of the main hub company.

If the cab firm was VAT registered wouldn't their details automatically show at Companies House? 

 

Slim! Haven't seen you about these parts for ages! All well? 

Yeah. You're probably right there. 

I have receipts and they are signed and dated with the cab driver's signature and call number, where they picked me up and set down.  They have the address and telephone number and one has a registered number which I assume is what they are registered under companies house under.  However, neither firm has a VAT number on them!

 

To be honest I found it a strange request as the last university and college I did a course at only required the receipt not a VAT number.

 

So if there is no VAT number on it, VAT can't be claimed by the university???

I have and they wouldn't give it to me - probably because they thought I was dodgy which I why I think I'll back my call up with a letter recorded.

I have checked both companies and they are registered with companies house sorry for being ignorant here but the number they are registered under won't have anything to do with the VAT number though will it?

Yes it should.

ahh!  it's only an 8 figure number though and I go the impression from El Loro (unless I read their post wrong) that a VAT number should be longer 

 

Perhaps I'll just play dumb and supply that

Sorry the vat number is different to the company registration number.  I might have misunderstood before sorry.

that's Ok  - all this palaver to get my money back - it shouldn't be this difficult 

Pengs I know the palaver.  

 

I do all of our accounts and because I'm not an accountant we have to pay for someone to sign them off and even then I have to explain a lot of our stuff.  Like why some stuff we only charge at 5% VAT, how our settlement discounts don't get VAT added. ETC ETC

 

it's numbers and numbers scare me