What we monitor: VAT returns

How PenaltyProof derives VAT deadlines from the stagger group and what alert stages fire.

What we track

PenaltyProof derives the next VAT return due date from the per-company vat_stagger_group setting (1, 2, or 3) configured at /manage. Stagger 1: returns due 7 May/Aug/Nov/Feb. Stagger 2: 7 Jun/Sep/Dec/Mar. Stagger 3: 7 Jul/Oct/Jan/Apr. Annual accounting scheme clients use a separate vat_annual_period_end date — the deadline is 2 months after the period end.

Alert stages (paid plans)

Alerts at 30, 14, 7, and 0 days before the due date, plus overdue. Thresholds follow _VAT_RETURN_THRESHOLDS in the codebase.

Configuration required

VAT alerts only fire for companies where a stagger group or annual period end is configured at /manage. Companies without this setting do not receive VAT alerts.

What we do not monitor

We do not track the individual VAT points score under the HMRC points-based penalty system. We do not monitor whether the VAT return was filed correctly or whether HMRC accepted it. We do not alert on Direct Debit collection dates.

Cross-link

See /deadlines/vat-return-deadline for penalty and regime details.

Common questions

What is the threshold for VAT return alerts?

Alerts at 30, 14, 7, and 0 days before the due date, then overdue. Thresholds follow _VAT_RETURN_THRESHOLDS in the codebase.

What do I need to configure?

Set a vat_stagger_group (1, 2, or 3) or a vat_annual_period_end per company at /manage. Companies without this setting do not receive VAT alerts.

Does PenaltyProof track the HMRC points-based VAT penalty score?

No. We alert on the return deadline only. We do not track penalty points, payment dates, or Direct Debit collection.

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