Paypoint Collections and others v HMRC

In Paypoint Collections and others v HMRC [2017] UKFTT 424 (16 May 2017) the FTT found that services which consisted in providing a system of payment collection did not fall within the exemption of VATA 1994 Sch 9 Group 5 item 1.

Collections and Network were wholly owned subsidiaries of PayPoint an international provider of payment solutions and other services. PayPoint operated a payment scheme which enabled customers (the ‘customers’) of utility companies mobile telephone companies and others (the ‘clients’) to make credit top-ups and to charge up pre-payment devices for electric or gas to be supplied by the clients (‘pre-payment’ transactions or services) and/or pay invoices or bills issued by the clients (‘post-payment’ transactions or services) over the counter at shops or other retail outlets (the ‘agents’).

HMRC considered that post-payment services were exempt under VATA 1994 Sch 9 Group 5 item 1;...