How do I know if my VAT refund is eligible?

To qualify for Instant VAT Refunds, your company must ...

✓ Be a VAT-registered, UK company

✓ Have at least 2 previous VAT refunds fully refunded by HMRC.

✓ Be submitting a VAT refund below £100,000

Get started

How Instant VAT Refunds work for UK companies

Get your company set up to receive Instant VAT refunds in less than 5 minutes.
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1. Create your Adsum account

Sign up and provide us with access to your business Government Gateway account before you submit your next VAT return.

It’s the first step to Instant VAT Refunds.
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2. Enter your business bank details

Tell us where you want your Instant VAT Refund paid. Ensure the account matches the business submitting the VAT return.
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3. Receive your VAT refunds instantly

See the impact of Instant VAT Refunds on your business finances. Receive funds within 60 minutes of submitting your next VAT return.
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Instant cash flow

4. Adsum handles your VAT refunds with HMRC

Leave the HMRC liaison to us. Adsum handles the collection of your business VAT refund payment from HMRC.

You don't need to wait for HMRC to pay your VAT refund

Instant VAT Refunds from Adsum offer cost effective cash flow for all UK businesses that reclaim VAT.

FAQs

What is a VAT refund?

When a VAT-registered business has paid more VAT on purchases than it has collected from sales, the business can claim this difference back from HMRC. When the difference is paid back it is called a VAT refund.

Who are Instant VAT Refunds for?

Any VAT-registered business in the UK that has received at least 2 non-diluted VAT refunds before from HMRC and regularly or occasionally is in a VAT refund position is eligible for our Instant VAT Refunds service.

How do Instant VAT Refunds work?

Every time you submit a VAT refund, you will receive your VAT refund instantly automatically. If you're a UK, VAT-registered business, click 'Get started' below to get your account set up. Then, the next time you submit a VAT refund (or if you've submitted one in the last hour) our TaxOS will notify us of your submission and we will then transfer the VAT refund (minus our 2-3% fee) to your chosen bank account within 60 minutes. During the transfer, we will take away your access to Government Gateway (but we can give it back as soon we receive the VAT refund from HMRC). To be eligible for Instant VAT Refunds, you must be a UK business, have received at least 2 VAT refunds from HMRC and have no outstanding returns with HMRC.

Get started

What if I don't want the refund from Adsum every time?

Just let us know **at least 24 hours before** you submit your VAT return so we can stop the process from running. Please email portal@adsum-works.com to alert us that you don’t want the refund from us this time.

Where does HMRC send the refund when they finally pay it out?

HMRC will send the refund to Adsum, to reimburse us for sending it to you when your VAT return was submitted. They are able to do that because our account becomes the nominated payee account in your Government Gateway.

Why do you need 'Administrator' access to my Government Gateway?

This access enables us to collect your VAT payment from HMRC. We know that’s not ideal but, based on current HMRC limitations, it’s the best way to make the process smooth and quick and keep our costs low! Your login credentials for your Government Gateway are held securely in an AWS-hosted database and cannot be accessed by anyone else.

How do I know my Government Gateway details are secure with you?

Your login credentials for your Government Gateway are held securely in an AWS-hosted database and cannot be accessed by anyone else.

Why am I no longer an 'Administrator' on my Government Gateway?

Since we need Administrator access and there can only be one Administrator on your Government Gateway account, you can become a ‘Standard’ user. So you still have access to it, but you’re sharing that access with us so that, as an ‘Administrator’ on your account, we can facilitate your instant VAT refunds.

How do I access my Government Gateway while Adsum has 'Administrator' permissions?

You can become the ‘Administrator’ of your Government Gateway account again as soon as HMRC have paid back your VAT to Adsum. However, please note that Adsum needs to maintain ‘Administrator’ access to continue to offer you instant VAT refunds. You can maintain access as a 'Standard' user -- just let us know.

How do I get my Government Gateway access back?

Please login to your Adsum account and tap on the link to ‘Revoke Adsum's access’. This will notify us that you would like your access back. If HMRC has paid back the VAT refund we sent you instantly then we will action your request immediately. If HMRC has not yet paid back the VAT refund we sent you instantly, then we will action your request as soon as the payment comes through.

Login to revoke Adsum's access

Can my accountant still access my Government Gateway?

Yes. Usually accountants access their clients’ Government Gateway via their accountant agency account, and this is not affected by Adsum being an ‘Administrator’ of your Government Gateway account.

How much does it cost to get my VAT refund instantly from Adsum?

The cost is 2-3% of your VAT refund, but you don’t pay it to us directly. We deduct it from your refund amount before we transfer your refund to you. Our fees are the same as other payment providers, e.g. Stripe. You can claim the VAT back on your next return.

What happens if HMRC investigates my VAT refund?

We will handle all communication with HMRC to ensure a speedy resolution. Our goals are aligned with yours — to get your money back from HMRC as soon as possible. Please note that we may need to supply your sales and purchase invoices to HMRC if asked for them as part of the investigation. If this happens, we will let you know.

What happens if HMRC refuses to pay or dilutes my VAT refund?

Adsum will deduct the shortfall from your next Instant VAT Refund.

Fund the VAT for your commercial property purchase

If you are buying a commercial property, expanding your business premises or making any other large purchase, you'll have a significant amount of VAT to pay up front. That's where Adsum comes in.
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VAT bridging finance

If you need short term working capital to cover the VAT payment, we can offer you a pre-approved credit limit against the VAT refund you'll be able to claim after you've made your purchase, effectively 'bridging' the gap. This protects or extends your short term working capital availability and is sometimes called 'VAT bridging finance'.

Customer story

How VAT financing helped ONTO

“ONTO’s growth has benefited enormously from our ability to access our VAT refunds and tax credits the moment they become due. The ability to access these funds has allowed us to accelerate our growth and reinvest in the business. Adsum has been a reliable and supportive partner for us every step of the way.”

Peter Phillips, CFO at ONTO

Last year, HMRC paid out £75billion in VAT refunds

Don’t miss getting the VAT financing you’re due. Waiting for HMRC can take months, which means your business has to wait, too. Our MTD-compliant software makes tax, and dealing with HMRC, easy and means you get the capital you need to invest and grow your business instantly.