[DaveC]

This question has been bothering me for ages and I figured with all the clever people here someone must know the answer:

Why do I have to ask for a VAT receipt at a petrol station? or to put it another way why doesn't the normal receipt they give you any show the VAT on it?

Seems ridiculously silly to me but I'm sure there must be a reason somewhere...

[NFS]

Originally Posted by DaveC

This question has been bothering me for ages and I figured with all the clever people here someone must know the answer:

Why do I have to ask for a VAT receipt at a petrol station? or to put it another way why doesn't the normal receipt they give you any show the VAT on it?

Seems ridiculously silly to me but I'm sure there must be a reason somewhere...

Originally - with credit cards, almost all places gave you 2 receipts .. one which you signed and one which had the VAT details on it.

Since chip and pin many places issue a single receipt with the VAT number on.

Petrol stations are not the only place where you still need to ask for a receipt, but they are the only retail outlet where that is universally the case.

I think it must be historical - since they were also one of the first places where credit cards were used. When you asked the question I wondered if it was to do with the way the VAT was dealt with by the retailer - but that doesn't make sense. Anyone who is able to reclaim there VAT will ask for a receipt anyway.

It is odd though .

[Bumps]

I wish I had to ask for a VAT receipt, as it would mean that someone else was paying (through the nose - cheers Mr Chancellor) for my fuel

[mjh93sa]

Originally Posted by Bumps

I wish I had to ask for a VAT receipt, as it would mean that someone else was paying (through the nose - cheers Mr Chancellor) for my fuel

I'm with you on that one bumps. The only reason I ever ask for one is if I'm tracking fuel consumption.

[ShereKhan]

I've found that if you use an Amex card the retailer assumes you want one.
So it has saved me having to ask for one!

But as I now have a fuel card, I have no need to keep a clutter of receipts.
For MPG I just now use the mileage on the receipts and add to Excel to get MPG and cost calculations.

I thought that using Super 99 or V Power would make a big difference to my monthly fuel costs but in the past three months it is only negligble.

[jwbmw]

Originally Posted by ShereKhan

I've found that if you use an Amex card the retailer assumes you want one.
So it has saved me having to ask for one!

But as I now have a fuel card, I have no need to keep a clutter of receipts.
For MPG I just now use the mileage on the receipts and add to Excel to get MPG and cost calculations.

I thought that using Super 99 or V Power would make a big difference to my monthly fuel costs but in the past three months it is only negligble.

Nothing like the old company fuel card eh! I commute 400 mile a week and would be stuffed without it!

Is the VAT receipt thing a reflection of the past when most people paid by cash/cheques? You can't return petrol so a receipt is pretty useless so historically never issued. In the past you got nowt in the way of a receipt unless you paid by card, so assume the only purpose is for business claims and hence the VAT declaration.

[DaveC]

As far as I can remember you always got a receipt, it just wasn't a "VAT one"

[squeezebm]

I also like VAT reciepts it means it costs me approx 97p per litre for the High Octane stuff to make my gas guzzler go which is cheaper than the DERV

Only wish it would last as long

[NFS]

Originally Posted by DaveC

As far as I can remember you always got a receipt, it just wasn't a "VAT one"

You always got a credit card receipt - it's just that since chip and pin these are combined with VAT receipts in most places other than petrol stations.

[DaveC]

You got a till receipt that said 46litres didn't you? it just didn't have the VAT on it (as it still doesnt).

[NFS]

Originally Posted by DaveC

You got a till receipt that said 46litres didn't you? it just didn't have the VAT on it (as it still doesnt).

I don't think the credit card receipts necessarily include the amount of fuel purchased. Just the cost.

[hmi1750]

Originally Posted by jwbmw

Nothing like the old company fuel card eh! I commute 400 mile a week and would be stuffed without it!

I do 500 a week and sadly no fuel card! Just a PhD stipend and no savings for now... lol.. car and marriage took those. But smiling!

[Art Man]

The VAT receipt is a record of the transaction between you and the retailer. Whilst the credit card slip is a record of you authorising the retailer to charge your credit card account to settle your debt.

What p*sses me off, is that I now have to submit VAT receipts to support my pence per mile claim. My accountant tells me that, because I claim back the VAT element in my mileage rate, I have to now keep VAT receipts because the Dutch complained how Customs and Excise allowed VAT to be claimed without a supporting receipt. EU agreed with them, so a couple of years ago the rules were changed. The only concession the UK got is we don’t have to have a VAT receipt for every single purchase, just a sample to prove VAT was paid during the period claimed.

[BigBanana]

Originally Posted by jwbmw

Nothing like the old company fuel card eh! I commute 400 mile a week and would be stuffed without it!

Is the VAT receipt thing a reflection of the past when most people paid by cash/cheques? You can't return petrol so a receipt is pretty useless so historically never issued. In the past you got nowt in the way of a receipt unless you paid by card, so assume the only purpose is for business claims and hence the VAT declaration.

Co. card very worth it on 400miles commute.. But, do you not clock up ANY business miles? - that can be lost on the commute?

(Err....BTW, I'm not a tax man - just interested)

[ShereKhan]

Originally Posted by Art Man

The VAT receipt is a record of the transaction between you and the retailer. Whilst the credit card slip is a record of you authorising the retailer to charge your credit card account to settle your debt.

What p*sses me off, is that I now have to submit VAT receipts to support my pence per mile claim. My accountant tells me that, because I claim back the VAT element in my mileage rate, I have to now keep VAT receipts because the Dutch complained how Customs and Excise allowed VAT to be claimed without a supporting receipt. EU agreed with them, so a couple of years ago the rules were changed. The only concession the UK got is we don’t have to have a VAT receipt for every single purchase, just a sample to prove VAT was paid during the period claimed.

We got told to get receipts but I think my employer found it too much hassle to get the receipts and hold records so they've gone fuel card route. Let somebody else do the admin.

[NFS]

I pay for all the fuel for my car (my own not a company car) on my company credit card, then we just declare the personal milage costs as a taxable benefit.