UK VAT calculator. Add it or take it off.
Type an amount and pick a rate. The price before VAT, the VAT and the total update as you type.
The formulas
Every VAT sum is one of two jobs. You either have a price before VAT and need the total, or you have a total and need to know how much of it is VAT.
| What you want | At 20% | At 5% |
|---|---|---|
| Add VAT to a net price | net × 1.2 | net × 1.05 |
| Net price from a total | total ÷ 1.2 | total ÷ 1.05 |
| VAT inside a total | total ÷ 6 | total ÷ 21 |
A common mistake is taking 20% off a total to remove VAT. On £120 that gives £96, but the right answer is £100. VAT is 20% of the price before VAT, not 20% of the total, which is why you divide by 1.2.
Quick reference at 20%
| Before VAT | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|
| £10.00 | £2.00 | £12.00 |
| £25.00 | £5.00 | £30.00 |
| £50.00 | £10.00 | £60.00 |
| £100.00 | £20.00 | £120.00 |
| £250.00 | £50.00 | £300.00 |
| £500.00 | £100.00 | £600.00 |
| £1,000.00 | £200.00 | £1,200.00 |
| £5,000.00 | £1,000.00 | £6,000.00 |
UK VAT rates in 2026
The standard rate is 20% and covers most goods and services. The reduced rate of 5% applies to a short list, such as domestic gas and electricity and children's car seats. Zero-rated items, like most food in shops, children's clothes and books, are still VAT-able at 0%, which matters because a business selling them can reclaim VAT on its costs. Exempt items, such as most insurance and some health services, are outside VAT altogether.
A business has to register once its VAT-taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months. Rates and thresholds can change at a Budget, so check GOV.UK VAT rates and when to register before you file anything. This calculator is a quick working tool, not tax advice.
Showing VAT on your website
If you sell to the public, UK rules say the price you show must be the full price including VAT. Business-to-business sites can show prices before VAT, as long as they say so clearly. On Shopify and WooCommerce this is one setting, but it's easy to get wrong when a store sells to both, and customers notice when the price jumps at checkout.