Amazon Sellers Support

We are aware of the current issue facing Amazon sellers where they’re being asked for various documents to allow Amazon to verify their VAT status, and until verified, they’re unable to continue trading.

We’ve talked to hundreds of sellers and are working with the Department for Business and Trade, and together we’ve talked to Amazon about the hardship being faced by sellers, held a roundtable between sellers affected and DBT and HMRC, and the Small Business Minister wrote to the company and held a meeting with Amazon Senior Executives.

We have been assured that the VAT verification process was being carried out as quickly as possible, but that additional resources would be committed to speeding checks up.

However, we do know many sellers continue to be impacted and urged Amazon to process these cases as a priority, given the real distress this is causing. We will continue to work with Amazon to support individuals concerned and ensure sellers have their accounts restored as soon as possible.

If you’ve been affected fill in the form here.

HMRC Support

If businesses are concerned about being unable to pay their tax liabilities, they should submit all tax returns as normal. While the situation is being resolved, they can set up a time to pay arrangement. This can generally be done online and there is more information here. If they cannot set up a time to pay arrangement online then they can call HMRC’s debt management team on 0300 200 3887.

If a business is established overseas and believes they have paid VAT to HMRC incorrectly, they will need to follow the process for reclaiming overpaid VAT by correcting their VAT returns. Guidance on how to do this can be found here.

If a business believes they are established in the UK and the marketplace through which they sell has requested they update their VAT details with HMRC, they can contact isbcvatestablishment@hmrc.gov.uk so their details can be checked.

Tell HMRC about errors in your VAT Return

Find out if you need to update your VAT Return, make the correction online or use the VAT652 form to notify HMRC about errors.