Darren Aldrich - Partner.

Darren joined Buzzacott in 1998 and is a Partner of the firm. He heads up the VAT Services team.

Darren and the team provide a market-leading national and international service, which supports a wide range of clients in both the corporate and charity sector. He has extensive experience in advising clients on a full range of VAT issues including:

• Land and property VAT 
• VAT registration
• Partial exemption 
• Cross border supplies of goods and services
• VAT for charities

Darren has been a long term board member of the International VAT Association is an Associate of the Institute of Indirect taxation / CTA and a fellow member of the Association of Accounting Technicians.

Prior to Buzzacott, Darren ran the VAT team at the accountancy firm Hereward Phillips.

No matter what your issue, from VAT liability, to the most complex partial exemption calculations, we can save you time and costs.

VAT for UK and global businesses

If you’re a UK company, our VAT specialists can advise you about liability on both everyday transactions and complex purchases. If you trade within the EU and beyond, our market-leading service Fiscal Solutions knows international VAT compliance inside-out.

The ways we help charities and businesses

VAT recovery – If you make VAT exempt supplies or undertake non-business activities, your organisation may not be able to reclaim all of the VAT that it incurs on its costs, but don’t worry, we can help you optimise your recovery.

VAT training - We run sector-focused VAT training courses and can offer bespoke training for your business or staff needs so that your team are best equipped to deal with VAT issues within your organisation.

VAT liability queries - The VAT liability of your income determines both the VAT that has to be charged on to your customers and the extent to which you can reclaim VAT on costs. Therefore, getting the liability right has a direct effect on business efficiency. Getting it wrong can lead to costly VAT penalties. We can help you navigate this challenge and provide guidance for the best course of action. 

Firms we work with

• Accountants
• Architects 
• Corporates
• Importers and exporters
• Commercial property organisations 
• Law firms and other professional practises

VAT for not-for-profit organisations

If you are a UK charity, we know you need to spend your time and effort working hard to direct funds where they’re most needed, and that’s where our not-for-profit VAT team comes in, with expert advice on property, grants, contracts and VAT recovery. We help charities review their VAT position on a regular basis, working together to ensure processes are up to date with changes in law, HMRC policy and the organisation's activities.

VAT reliefs - One of the best ways of mitigating VAT is to ensure you make full use of the reliefs you may be entitled to. We can tell you about any of the zero-rate reliefs that might apply to the goods or services that you are purchasing so you are in the best position to limit your VAT exposure. 

Capital projects - Capital projects are exhilarating, exhausting, exciting, demanding and often all consuming! Understanding the VAT implications at an early stage can maximise VAT benefits, especially where not all the VAT will be recoverable. Our VAT team can help with planning, from advising on reliefs and managing the VAT Capital Goods Scheme requirements. The key is to take advice from the outset.

Sectors we work in

• Charity and not for profits
• Education including academies and further education establishments
• Arts, museums and culture
• Membership organisations
• Housing associations 
• Welfare and healthcare 

Making Tax Digital (MTD)

Making Tax Digital came in to effect on 1 April 2019 and is part of new regulation being enforced by HMRC to get organisations to submit their VAT returns digitally. 

For most organisations their current accounting software will be MTD compatible, but if you’re unsure or it isn’t, don’t worry! Our tech experts have designed a bridging solution for you that will help make your VAT returns MTD compatible.