VAT returns, made simple

Staying VAT compliant shouldn't mean drowning in paperwork or missing deadlines. DS Business Support Ltd takes care of your VAT from start to finish, using Xero and Dext to keep everything accurate, organised, and available to you in real time.

Whether you're VAT registered already or approaching the threshold, we'll make sure your returns are correct, submitted on time, and fully compliant with HMRC's Making Tax Digital (MTD) requirements.

What we do

  • We handle the application process and advise on the right scheme for your business (Standard, Flat Rate, Cash Accounting, or Annual Accounting).

  • Accurate returns prepared from your Xero data and filed directly with HMRC under MTD.

  • Snap or forward your receipts and invoices, and Dext extracts the data and pushes it straight into Xero, cutting out manual data entry and reducing errors.

  • If HMRC ever query a return or open an enquiry, we deal with it on your behalf.

Why Xero and Dext?

We use Xero and Dext because they take the manual work, and the room for error, out of VAT.

Xero gives you a live, cloud-based view of your finances. Your VAT figures are calculated directly from up-to-date bookkeeping, not reconstructed at the last minute, and returns can be reviewed and submitted digitally in line with Making Tax Digital.

Dext removes the admin of collecting receipts and invoices. Take a photo, forward an email, or upload a document, and Dext reads the details and codes them ready for Xero — no shoeboxes of receipts, no chasing paperwork at quarter-end.

Together, they mean your VAT return is built on accurate, current data — and you always know where your figures stand, not just at deadline time.

How it works

3: We prepare your return

Checking the figures, applying the right VAT treatment, and flagging anything that needs your input.

1: We set you up

Connecting your bank feeds, Xero, and Dext, so records flow through automatically.

2: You capture as you go

Snap receipts and invoices on the go with Dext; we handle the rest.

4: You approve, we submit

Once you're happy, we file directly with HMRC via MTD-compatible software.

5: You We keep you informed

Clear reminders ahead of deadlines, so there are never any surprises.

Who This Is For?

  • Sole traders and small businesses approaching or above the VAT threshold

  • Growing businesses that have outgrown spreadsheets and shoeboxes

  • Anyone currently paying an accountant to re-key receipts by hand

  • Businesses wanting real-time visibility of their VAT position, not just a figure once a quarter

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to already use Xero and Dext?

No — we'll set both up for you as part of onboarding, and show you exactly how to use them day to day.

How much time will this take me each quarter?

Very little. Most of our clients spend a few minutes a week photographing receipts in Dext — we handle the rest.

What happens if HMRC contacts me about VAT?

Bring it to us. We manage HMRC correspondence and enquiries on your behalf as part of the service.

Bookkeeping

Line drawing of a calculator, checklist with a checkmark, and a pen.

Our services

Accurate, up-to-date books are the foundation of everything else you do for your clients. Our bookkeeping team keeps your clients' records clean, reconciled, and ready for review — all year round, not just at year-end.

  • Bank reconciliation and transaction coding

  • Accounts payable and receivable processing

  • Cloud accounting software management (Xero & Dext)

  • Month-end and quarter-end close support

  • Clean-up and catch-up bookkeeping for backlogged clients

  • CIS

VAT returns

VAT document with a pound sign icon.

VAT deadlines don't move, and errors are costly. We prepare and review VAT returns with the accuracy and audit trail your practice needs to sign off with confidence.

  • MTD-compliant VAT return preparation and submission

  • Standard, Flat Rate, Cash Accounting and Margin Scheme support

  • VAT reconciliation against underlying bookkeeping

  • Query resolution ahead of filing deadlines

Payroll

Icon of a resume, calculator, and British pound symbol indicating financial or employment document

From weekly wages to complex multi-client payroll runs, we manage the full payroll cycle so your practice can offer a dependable, on-time payroll service without carrying the resource in-house.

  • Weekly, fortnightly and monthly payroll processing

  • RTI submissions to HMRC

  • Auto-enrolment pension administration and compliance

  • Payslips, P45s, P60s and year-end reporting

  • Statutory pay calculations (SSP, SMP, SPP, etc.)

  • CIS processing for construction sector clients

Get VAT Off Your Plate

Talk to us about getting your VAT set up properly on Xero and Dext, accurate, on time, every time.