Calculator
🇬🇧 UK onlyVAT Calculator (UK): Add or Remove VAT
Add VAT to a price ("plus VAT"), or take the VAT off a price that already includes it, at the 20% standard, 5% reduced or 0% zero rate. You get the price excluding VAT, the VAT and the price including VAT instantly. For example, £50 plus VAT is £60, and taking the VAT off £60 gives £50. Rates are UK VAT for 2026/27.
Amount
Standard rate 20%, reduced rate 5% (e.g. domestic energy), zero rate 0% (e.g. most food and books). Some supplies are VAT-exempt, which is different from zero-rated.
Breakdown
Rates from GOV.UK VAT rates.
How to calculate VAT
VAT (Value Added Tax) is a percentage added to the price of most goods and services. The two things people need most often are adding VAT to a price that doesn't yet include it, and removing VAT to find the original pre-tax price. Both are simple once you know the rate.
UK VAT rates (2026/27)
- Standard rate (20%): most goods and services.
- Reduced rate (5%): domestic fuel and power, children's car seats, some energy-saving materials.
- Zero rate (0%): most food, books and newspapers, children's clothing. Still VAT-taxable, just at 0%.
Adding VAT
Net price × (1 + rate) = gross price.
£100 net + 20% VAT → £100 × 1.20 = £120 gross, of which £20 is VAT.
Removing VAT (working backwards)
Gross price ÷ (1 + rate) = net price.
£120 gross ÷ 1.20 = £100 net, so the VAT element is £20.
Shortcut: at 20%, the VAT in a gross figure is exactly one sixth (1/6): £120 ÷ 6 = £20.
Common amounts plus VAT (20%)
Quick answers for the amounts people check most often. The second column is the price plus VAT. The last column is for when the amount already includes VAT and you want to take it off.
| Amount | Plus VAT | VAT added | If it includes VAT: price ex VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10 | £12 | £2 | £8.33 |
| £20 | £24 | £4 | £16.67 |
| £50 | £60 | £10 | £41.67 |
| £70 | £84 | £14 | £58.33 |
| £75 | £90 | £15 | £62.50 |
| £80 | £96 | £16 | £66.67 |
| £100 | £120 | £20 | £83.33 |
| £150 | £180 | £30 | £125 |
| £180 | £216 | £36 | £150 |
| £200 | £240 | £40 | £166.67 |
| £250 | £300 | £50 | £208.33 |
| £300 | £360 | £60 | £250 |
| £500 | £600 | £100 | £416.67 |
| £750 | £900 | £150 | £625 |
| £1,000 | £1,200 | £200 | £833.33 |
| £1,800 | £2,160 | £360 | £1,500 |
| £2,000 | £2,400 | £400 | £1,666.67 |
| £5,000 | £6,000 | £1,000 | £4,166.67 |
For any other amount, type it into the calculator above. All figures use the 20% standard rate, rounded to the nearest penny.
Inc VAT, ex VAT, plus VAT: what the terms mean
- Ex VAT, excluding VAT, exclusive of VAT, net: the price before VAT is added. A quote "plus VAT" means this figure plus 20%.
- Inc VAT, including VAT, VAT-inclusive, gross: the total you actually pay, with the VAT already in it. Shop prices for consumers must include VAT.
- Take VAT off, remove VAT, less VAT, deduct VAT, reverse VAT: all mean working back from an inc VAT price to the ex VAT price.
Business-to-business quotes are often given ex VAT, so a trade quote of "£1,800 plus VAT" will actually cost £2,160 if you can't reclaim the VAT.
The most common mistake: taking 20% off
To take VAT off £120, it's tempting to subtract 20%: £120 − £24 = £96. That's wrong. The VAT was added as 20% of the ex VAT price, not the total, so you have to divide instead: £120 ÷ 1.2 = £100. The VAT in any 20% VAT-inclusive price is one sixth of it (£120 ÷ 6 = £20), not one fifth. Subtracting 20% always takes off too much. For more worked examples, see our guide to how to work out VAT.
Registering for VAT
You must register for VAT once your VAT-taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period (or if you expect to pass it in the next 30 days). Below that you can register voluntarily, which is useful if you want to reclaim VAT on your purchases, though it means adding VAT to your prices. The deregistration threshold is £88,000.
Frequently asked questions
What is £50 plus VAT?
£50 plus VAT at the standard 20% rate is £60: £50 plus £10 VAT. If £50 already includes VAT, the price excluding VAT is £41.67 and the VAT is £8.33.
How do I take VAT off a price?
Divide the VAT-inclusive price by 1.2 to take off 20% VAT. For example, £120 ÷ 1.2 = £100, so the VAT was £20. Don't subtract 20% from the total: that gives £96, which takes off too much. For the 5% rate, divide by 1.05.
What do inc VAT and ex VAT mean?
Inc VAT (including VAT) is the total price with VAT already added. Ex VAT (excluding VAT) is the price before VAT, which is what "plus VAT" quotes are based on. At 20%, the inc VAT price is the ex VAT price × 1.2.
How do I add VAT to a price?
Multiply the net (VAT-exclusive) price by 1.20 for standard-rate VAT. That's the gross price including 20% VAT. The VAT itself is the net price × 0.20. So £100 net becomes £120 gross, of which £20 is VAT. For the 5% reduced rate, multiply by 1.05 instead.
How do I remove VAT from a price?
Divide the gross (VAT-inclusive) price by 1.20 to get the net price at standard rate; the VAT element is the gross minus the net. £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net, with £20 VAT. Divide by 1.05 to remove the 5% rate.
What are the UK VAT rates?
Three rates: standard 20% (most goods and services), reduced 5% (such as domestic energy and children's car seats), and zero 0% (most food, books and children's clothing). Some supplies are exempt from VAT entirely, which is different from zero-rated: exempt sales can't reclaim input VAT.
When do I have to register for VAT?
Once your VAT-taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period, or if you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can also register voluntarily below the threshold to reclaim VAT on purchases. The deregistration threshold is £88,000.
Is the VAT fraction really 1/6?
Yes. For standard-rate 20% VAT, the VAT portion of a gross price is exactly one sixth. On £120 gross the VAT is £120 ÷ 6 = £20. That shortcut only works for 20%; for the 5% rate the fraction is 1/21.