Time for a change

My business has been registered for the VAT flat rate scheme for a couple of years now and I had assumed that I would be covered under the generic heading of ‘accountancy and book-keeping’.

However my business is as a personal tax consultant preparing UK (and US) personal tax returns for a range of individual expatriate clients. I am now wondering whether I should instead be classified under the lower rate of ‘business services’.

I called HMRC’s VAT helpline to ask for their advice on this matter; they simply told me that it is for me to decide which category applies but they seemed unable or unwilling to tell me what the ‘accountancy and book-keeping’ category actually does include.

If I make a claim to HMRC to change my categorisation can readers give me any advice in this regard or tell me whether there are any HMRC...