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VAT: Registration

Asked by Ben LakePlaid CymruTreasuryTabled Answered 27 May 2026UIN 2285

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since January 2021, how many applications for UK VAT registration from companies incorporated in the UK within the previous 24 months have been (a) accepted without a compliance check, (b) accepted following a compliance check, (c) refused, and (d) subsequently cancelled within 12 months of registration.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson

HMRC introduced a new VAT Registration Service in August 2022. The previous registration service did not include incorporation date data, so figures are only available from August 2022 to 1 January 2026.

The figures below relate to UK VAT registration applications from companies incorporated in the UK within the previous 24 months.

Outcome

Approximate number

Automatically accepted

328,000

Accepted after review

158,200

Refused (for any reason)

88,300

Subsequently deregistered within 12 months

75,800

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