Tax on shopping and services
Where you see VAT
In shops
Any VAT due is already included in the price of something you buy in a shop. No tax is added when you pay.
Some shops in Northern Ireland offer tax-free shopping for visitors.
In adverts, catalogues and price lists
This depends on who they’re aimed at. If they’re for:
- the general public only, they’ll show you a price including VAT
- businesses as well as consumers, they might show the price with VAT and without
- businesses only they do not usually include VAT, which is charged on top of the price shown
On bills and receipts
Sometimes VAT is shown on a separate line. This does not mean you’re paying extra - it just shows how much tax is included in the price.
Invoices from suppliers like builders, painters and decorators must show a separate amount for VAT and their VAT registration number.
How VAT is worked out
When someone charges you VAT they multiply their selling price by the VAT rate to calculate the amount of VAT to charge.
They then add this to the selling price to give you the price you actually pay - this is called the ‘gross’ price.