MTD updates and software comparison

We've been gathering information on the various MTD software options out there, which go beyond simple bridging products. We've compiled a table comparing aspects across a number of products, including functionality and price (there are a few gaps in the table which will be updated in due course, but we wanted to get this information out to you asap). We posed the same questions to all the providers and consolidated their responses to make it easier for you to compare the answers (although not all suppliers provided the data in this format, but most did).

There's also exciting news on PwC's project with universities bespoking their Global Indirect Tax Compliance tool, having now filed a live university VAT return filing through HMRC's API connection.

The table also lists some additional resources you can view, including a number of demos and webinars from the various providers, in order to get further information. A couple of the software providers are running webinar demos for BUFDG members on 15 November:

• Tax Automation (VAT Controller) at 11am (sign up by emailing mail@taxautomation.co.uk, titling your email BUFDG VC Webinar, or via the contact form on their website) - the webinar will provide an overview of the VAT Controller platform, with associated VATPack analysis workbooks, which 'offer a flexible and efficient solution, with the additional benefit of being a central repository for all VAT related data management, control and analysis', and
• Tax Systems Plc (AlphaVAT) at 3pm - sign up here - the webinar will include an overview and live demonstration of a Tax Systems' MTD digital end-to-end solution.

But when will MTD apply to your university anyway? Thank you to all those who responded to my questions on the discussion board since HMRC announced a deferral of MTD for certain organisations. We have also raised the question with HMRC over whether they are excluding all incorporated charities from the deferral when they say 'not-for-profit organisations that are not set up as a company' or just those incorporated via Companies House - they are looking into it. But, if we assume that they're excluding all incorporated charities, then the information provided by 30 universities shows that six of those universities would be in MTD from April 2019, with the other 24 from October 2019 due to deferrals for VAT groups and the payments on account regime, but that 19 of those 30 universities have subsidiaries which come within MTD from April 2019, meaning that 12 universities have subsidiaries within MTD from April 2019, with the university only coming within MTD from October 2019.

So make sure you check the criteria and know your MTD start date(s)…(and keep an eye out for any possible further changes)!