- Research Objectives and Methodology: HMRC commissioned research to investigate the importing behavior of VAT unregistered businesses, focusing on the nature and scale of services imported from both EU and non-EU countries. A total of 196 telephone interviews were conducted with owners of businesses that imported services in the past year.
- Importing Services Trends: The majority (82%) of businesses primarily engaged in importing services rather than goods, with website design (45%), e-commerce (41%), and marketing services (37%) being the most commonly imported. Most businesses imported services from non-EU countries, and a significant portion (57%) imported services valued under £1,000, indicating low average import values.
- Impact of EU Exit and Tax Treatment: Following the UK’s exit from the EU, 45% of businesses expected no change in their trade behavior, while 40% anticipated impacts such as price increases. Awareness of tax rules, specifically the reverse charge mechanism, was low among businesses, with only 19% familiar with the term and even fewer understanding its implications for their operations.
Source gov.uk
