How do I remove VAT from a price in the UK?

To remove 20% UK VAT from a VAT-inclusive price, divide by 1.20. Example: £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 (the ex-VAT price). The VAT amount is £20. For the 5% reduced rate, divide by 1.05. Our reverse VAT calculator above does this automatically — just select 'Remove VAT' mode and enter your gross amount.

How do I add VAT to a price?

To add 20% VAT, multiply the net (ex-VAT) price by 1.20. Example: £100 × 1.20 = £120 (VAT-inclusive price). The VAT amount is £20. Formula: VAT amount = net price × (VAT rate / 100); gross = net + VAT amount.

How much VAT on £100?

At the UK standard rate of 20%, the VAT on £100 is £20, making the total price £120. At the reduced 5% rate, VAT is £5, total £105. If a price is already VAT-inclusive at 20%, the VAT element within £100 is £16.67 (£100 ÷ 1.20 × 0.20).

How much VAT on £1000?

At 20% UK VAT: £1,000 × 20% = £200 VAT, total £1,200. To extract VAT from a £1,000 gross price: £1,000 ÷ 1.20 = £833.33 net, VAT element = £166.67.

What is the UK VAT rate in 2026?

The UK standard VAT rate is 20% in 2026, unchanged since January 2011. A reduced 5% rate applies to domestic energy, women's sanitary products, and children's car seats. Zero-rated goods include most food, children's clothing, books, and public transport. The VAT registration threshold is £90,000 annual taxable turnover.

What is the difference between standard, reduced, and zero rate VAT?

Standard rate (20% UK) applies to most goods and services. Reduced rate (5% UK) applies to specific listed goods like domestic energy. Zero rate (0%) applies to goods like food and books — these are still VAT-rated but at 0%, and businesses can reclaim input VAT. Exempt goods are outside the VAT system entirely (e.g. financial services, education).

Reverse VAT (also called 'backing out VAT' or 'VAT extraction') means calculating the original price before VAT from a VAT-inclusive total. Formula: Pre-tax price = Gross ÷ (1 + VAT rate/100). Example: £240 gross at 20% VAT = £240 ÷ 1.20 = £200 ex-VAT. The VAT element is £40.

How is VAT different from sales tax?

VAT (Value Added Tax) is collected at every stage of the supply chain, with businesses reclaiming input VAT they pay on purchases. Only the final consumer bears the full cost. US sales tax is collected only at the final point of sale to the consumer. Both result in the consumer paying a percentage tax, but the collection mechanism differs significantly.

✓ Reviewed May 2026 · HMRC · EU Commission · Official sources

VAT Calculator 2026 — UK, EU & Global

Add VAT to a net price or remove VAT from a gross total — for the UK, all EU countries, and 25+ countries worldwide. Results update instantly as you type.

Value Added Tax is the world's most common consumption tax — used by over 170 countries — but there's no single global rate. The UK charges 20%, Germany 19%, France 20%, Switzerland 8.1%, and Norway 25%. Each country also maintains reduced rates for essentials like food, books, and medicine, making cross-border invoicing genuinely confusing.

The most common calculation error we see is treating VAT like US sales tax. VAT is usually included in the displayed price (tax-inclusive), while US sales tax is added at checkout (tax-exclusive). When you see "£100 including VAT" in the UK, that's £83.33 net + £16.67 tax. Our calculator handles both directions: add VAT to a net amount, or reverse-calculate to extract VAT from a gross price.

For businesses, VAT matters for cash flow — you collect VAT from customers and pay VAT on purchases, then settle the difference with the tax authority. If your purchase VAT exceeds your sales VAT (common for exporters and startups), you can claim a refund. This calculator helps verify invoice amounts before you file your VAT return.

Country

Rate

20%

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Standard UK VAT rate · charged since Jan 2011

Registration threshold: £90,000/year

Source: gov.uk/vat-rates

Amount before VAT (£)

How to calculate VAT in the UK (20%)

Add 20% VAT

Gross = Net × 1.20

£100 net → £120 gross
VAT = £20

Remove 20% VAT

Net = Gross ÷ 1.20

£120 gross → £100 net
VAT = £20

Common UK VAT amounts

On £50

£10

VAT

On £100

£20

VAT

On £250

£50

VAT

On £500

£100

VAT

On £1,000

£200

VAT

On £2,000

£400

VAT

On £5,000

£1,000

VAT

On £10,000

£2,000

VAT

Quick amounts

VAT rates by country — 2026

🇬🇧 United Kingdom20%

🇩🇪 Germany19%

🇫🇷 France20%

🇪🇸 Spain21%

🇮🇹 Italy22%

🇳🇱 Netherlands21%

🇸🇪 Sweden25%

🇮🇪 Ireland23%

🇵🇱 Poland23%

🇵🇹 Portugal23%

🇧🇪 Belgium21%

🇦🇹 Austria20%

🇩🇰 Denmark25%

🇫🇮 Finland24%

🇬🇷 Greece24%

🇭🇺 Hungary27%

🇳🇴 Norway25%

🇨🇭 Switzerland8.1%

🇦🇪 UAE5%

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia15%

🇸🇬 Singapore9%

🇦🇺 Australia10%

🇳🇿 New Zealand15%

🇯🇵 Japan10%

🇿🇦 South Africa15%

🇲🇽 Mexico16%

Country guides

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates VAT guide5% →🇦🇺 Australia GST guide10% →🇨🇭 Switzerland VAT guide8.1% →🇳🇴 Norway VAT guide25% →🇸🇬 Singapore GST guide9% →🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia VAT guide15% →🇹🇷 Turkey VAT guide20% → United Kingdom VAT guide20% → Germany VAT guide19% → France VAT guide20% →

VAT and GST calculators by region

Use the hub below to jump from the main calculator to the exact country guide.

Europe VAT calculators

Country pages for VAT, TVA, IVA, MWST, MVA, and BTW rates.

United Kingdom VAT20%Germany VAT19%France VAT20%Netherlands VAT21%Italy VAT22%Spain VAT21%Switzerland VAT8.1%Norway VAT25%

GST countries

These pages use the local GST name while keeping the existing URLs.

Australia GST10%New Zealand GST15%Singapore GST9%

Middle East VAT

VAT calculators for UAE and Saudi Arabia.

United Arab Emirates VAT5%Saudi Arabia VAT15%

Americas, Asia, and Africa

Additional VAT, IVA, consumption tax, and GST pages.

Mexico VAT16%Brazil VAT17%Japan VAT10%South Africa VAT15%Turkey VAT20%

VAT Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions

What is VAT and how it differs from US sales tax

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a consumption tax used in the European Union, United Kingdom, India (as GST), Canada (partially as GST/HST), Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries. Businesses charge VAT on taxable supplies, issue VAT invoices, and remit output VAT minus input VAT on purchases. End consumers pay tax embedded in prices; B2B chains use reverse charge and zero-rating mechanisms.

Unlike US sales tax administered by thousands of local jurisdictions on retail only, VAT is typically national with one or few rates, filed on periodic VAT returns. Registration thresholds, digital services rules, and MOSS/OSS schemes affect cross-border e-commerce sellers in the EU and UK.

Standard, reduced, and zero rates

The UK standard VAT rate is 20%; Germany 19%; France 20% with multiple reduced tiers. Reduced rates (5%, 10%, 13% depending on country) apply to food, books, hospitality, and energy under local law. Zero-rated supplies (0% with credit on inputs) include many exports and essential categories. Exempt supplies (no VAT charged, no input credit) include certain financial and insurance services.

Always classify goods and services before applying the standard rate in this calculator. Wrong classification is a common audit issue. Country-specific pages on FastTaxCalc list standard and reduced rates with official links.

Adding VAT and reverse VAT calculations

Add VAT: Gross = Net × (1 + Rate ÷ 100). £100 net at 20% UK VAT → £20 tax, £120 gross. Remove VAT: Net = Gross ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100). £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net. The same formula works for GST, HST, and sales tax — only the rate and label change.

Multi-item invoices need line-level rates. Tax-inclusive retail tags require reverse calculation for margin analysis. Use country mode on subpages for Germany, France, UK, Switzerland, Norway, India, Canada, and Australia with localized examples.

B2B, cross-border, and e-commerce VAT

Intra-EU B2B sales of goods often use zero-rating with valid VAT ID and VIES verification. B2C digital services to EU consumers use One Stop Shop (OSS) reporting in many cases. Post-Brexit UK sales follow UK VAT rules with separate registration for non-UK sellers above thresholds.

Import VAT is due at border or through deferred accounting schemes. Marketplaces may be deemed suppliers for VAT in some jurisdictions. This calculator does not determine place of supply — consult HMRC, BZSt, or local advisers for registration obligations.

VAT invoices and record keeping

Valid VAT invoices show supplier VAT number, customer VAT number for B2B, description, net, VAT rate, VAT amount, and gross. Credit notes adjust prior invoices. MTD in the UK requires digital record keeping with compatible software.

Retain invoices six to ten years depending on country. Reconcile VAT return boxes to general ledger VAT control accounts quarterly.

Using this VAT calculator hub

Select a country guide for deep rates and governing body links, or use the hub tool for quick add/remove at standard rate. Compare UK 20% vs Germany 19% vs Switzerland 8.1% for pricing strategy. Pair with GST calculator for Indian supplies and HST calculator for Canadian provinces.

Rates updated for 2026; governments announce changes in budget cycles — confirm before filing VAT100, UStVA, or equivalent returns. Educational use only; not tax advice.

Common mistakes to avoid

Removing VAT by subtracting 20%

For a VAT-inclusive price, divide by 1.20 at the UK standard rate. Subtracting 20% from the gross total gives the wrong net price.

Using the UK rate for every country

VAT and GST rates vary by country. Germany is 19%, Norway is 25%, Switzerland is 8.1%, and some countries use reduced rates.

Confusing zero-rated and exempt goods

Zero-rated goods are still VAT-rated at 0%. Exempt goods are outside the VAT system, which can affect input VAT recovery.

Ignoring reduced rates

Food, books, hotels, medicine, transport, and energy can use reduced rates depending on the country and item category.

Official VAT and GST source review

Rates and rules on this page were last reviewed in May 2026 against HMRC, EU Commission, and national tax authorities. Use the linked authority for filing, registrations, or address-specific compliance.

VAT rates, reduced-rate categories, registration thresholds, and refund rules vary by country.
Use the country-specific guide for official source links and local-rate notes before filing.

Related tax calculators

🇺🇸 US Sales Tax Calculator 🇮🇳 India GST Calculator 🇨🇦 Canada HST Calculator 🇺🇸 Paycheck After Tax 🇮🇳 Income Tax Old vs New Regime

Use the correct VAT rate for the country and item

Use this calculator for quick VAT math, reverse VAT extraction, and cross-country rate checks. For invoices, filings, or refunds, open the matching country guide and confirm the current rule with the official tax authority.

Read the VAT calculation guide

Disclaimer: VAT rates are for informational purposes and may change. Always verify current rates with the official tax authority for your jurisdiction before making filing or business decisions. FastTaxCalc does not provide tax advice.