Lewisham
Bookkeeping & VAT Accountant in Lewisham
Running a shop, cafe, takeaway or market pitch in Lewisham means a lot of small transactions, cash and card, and a VAT threshold that can creep up on you. We keep your books current and your VAT right, so the numbers are there when you need them.
What we do for Lewisham businesses
- Bookkeeping kept up to date in cloud software, with card, cash and bank takings reconciled
- Tracking your turnover against the VAT registration threshold month by month
- VAT registration when you need it, and quarterly VAT returns filed under Making Tax Digital
- Checking which VAT scheme suits you, including whether the Flat Rate Scheme actually saves you anything
- Getting the VAT right on food and drink, where the rules for eat-in, hot and cold items differ
When you have to register for VAT
You must register for VAT once your VAT-taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000. That's a rolling 12 months, checked at the end of every month, not your turnover for the tax year or your accounting year. A busy spell can take you over the line mid-year without you noticing, and registering late means owing VAT on sales you never charged it on.
There's also a forward-looking test: if you expect turnover in the next 30 days alone to go over the threshold, you must register straight away. We watch both for you as part of keeping your books, so registration is a planned step rather than a surprise.
Food, drink and VAT
If you sell food, the VAT treatment depends on what it is and how it's sold. Much cold takeaway food is zero-rated, but hot takeaway food, most drinks other than milk-based ones, confectionery and anything eaten on your premises are generally standard-rated. A cafe that sells both eat-in and takeaway needs a sensible way to split its takings, and that split has a direct effect on the VAT you pay.
This is one of the areas where a till system set up properly at the start saves a lot of cost later. We'll look at how your sales are recorded and make sure the VAT return matches what you actually sold.
Why the books matter more when it's mostly small sales
A business taking hundreds of small payments a week, split across cash, card terminals and delivery apps, can't reconstruct a year's records in January. The card provider pays out net of fees, the delivery platform pays out net of commission, and cash needs banking and recording properly. If those don't reconcile, you can't be sure your VAT return or your tax bill is right. We keep it reconciled as you go, so you always know what the business is really making.
Working with us
Close to Lewisham, and set up for busy owners.
Our office is on Verdant Lane, SE6, a short trip from Lewisham town centre. Retail and hospitality owners are rarely free during trading hours, so most of our work with shops and cafes is done remotely: you connect your bank feed and till or card reports, and we do the rest.
If you need help choosing or setting up bookkeeping software for a till-based business, we can talk you through what's worked for businesses like yours before you commit to a subscription.
Common questions
Lewisham business questions, answered.
Sometimes. If your customers are mostly VAT-registered businesses, registering early can let you reclaim VAT on costs without affecting what they pay. If you sell to the public, it usually means either raising prices or absorbing the VAT, so it's rarely worth it. We'll look at your mix of customers first.
It depends on your costs. If you spend little on goods, HMRC's limited cost trader rules can put you on a 16.5% flat rate, which often costs more than standard VAT accounting. Retailers buying in stock often do better on the standard scheme. We'll compare both on your figures.
Yes. All VAT-registered businesses have to keep digital records and file VAT returns through Making Tax Digital compatible software. We set this up and file for you.
Record daily takings from your till or a daily sheet, bank the cash regularly, and keep the till reports. HMRC does look at cash businesses closely, so a consistent daily record is the best protection you have.
Bookkeeping and VAT for shops and cafes