Many businesses have already registered for the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme – according to the HMRC website, there are 94 establishments taking part within a mile of the Norwich M+A Partners office. The scheme enables restaurants to offer a discount for diners on Mondays to Wednesdays from 3 to 31 August 2020.
The government have now released further details on how to claim the reimbursement.
When can I claim?
- The claims service will operate from 7 August to 30 September 2020;
- You can claim 7 days from the date of your registration; and
- You can make up to 5 claims before 30 September.
When making a claim, the periods to select from are:
- 3 to 5 August;
- 10 to 12 August;
- 17 to 19 August;
- 24 to 26 August; and
- 31 August.
What can I claim for?
- You can claim back the discount offered on food and non-alcoholic drinks; and
- Claims should only be made for scheme discounts offered on or after the date you registered for the scheme
What do I need to make a claim?
You will need the records kept for each day you have used the scheme, including:
- Total number of diners that have used the scheme, including children;
- Total value of all eat in food and non-alcoholic drink sold, where the scheme discounts were given;
- Total amount of scheme discount given and claimed for;
- Period you are claiming for;
- Records for each establishment you are claiming for; and
- Overall total value of the claim for all establishments.
Here are some examples of how to calculate the total discount.
What about VAT?
- You will still need to pay VAT, based on the full amount of your customer’s bill, before the scheme discount is applied; and
- This amount must be reflected in the correct VAT return for the period the transaction took place.
How is the claim money paid?
- After you have made a claim, you will be issued with a reference number;
- HMRC will then check your claim is correct and pay the claim amount by BACs within 5 working days; and
- The payment you receive will be treated as taxable income.
See here for further details on registering for the scheme.
Further details on eligibility and how to offer the discount.