Meet the team: VAT services

Meet the team

VAT Services VAT services team profilesContents

Background

Andrew Needham is a VAT Partner with over 24 years' experience, who provides clear, pragmatic advice.

He is CTA qualified and specialises in International VAT and the Public Sector. He advises sole traders, owner managed businesses, multi-nationals, plc's and public sector clients, including Local Authorities, Housing Associations, Charitable Trusts and third sector organisations.

Professional experience

Andrew helps clients to structure their overseas supply chains and VAT compliance obligations. He facilitates DDP contracts in the EU and EU to EU supply chains. He supports online retailers to navigate the online market place rules, IOSS scheme and EU OSS scheme. He reduces duty costs and addresses the practical issues with imports/exports. He has extensive experience advising on land and property transactions including residential, commercial and mixed-use developments, affordable and social housing developments, capital and regeneration projects, hotel, leisure and cultural developments, care home developments.

Andrew supports the public sector to manage their business/non-business issues, partial exemption obligations, capital projects, joint ventures and partnership arrangements together with ad hoc consultancy VAT advice.

Andrew's clients have included:

Andrew's professional experience advising:

Nissan
Ineos
Proctor & Gamble
KP Snacks
Newcastle United
Barcelona FC
Pandora
Bulgari
Currensea
American Golf
Moda Furnishings
Crafters Companion
Northumberland County Council
Durham City Council
Newcastle City Council
Manchester City Council
Homes England
Scottish Government
Transport Scotland

Background

Faye Birtwisle is a VAT Senior Manager in the Newcastle office.

She has 15 years’ experience working in the Big 4, is CTA qualified and has a wealth of experience working with a wide variety of clients in different sectors.

Faye has particular specialisms in the public sector and more specifically housing clients, property companies and charitable trusts.

Professional experience

Faye has extensive experience advising her clients on a range of day-to-day issues, ensuring they operate as efficiently as possible from a VAT perspective and assisting with compliance reviews to provide comfort over their VAT position.

Faye regularly assists clients with a range of property queries, including mixed use developments, affordable and private sector housing, VAT recovery methodology and investment property development activities.

She advises a number of public sector organisations on managing their business/non-business issues, partial exemption obligations, capital projects, joint ventures and partnerships.

Faye assists clients in managing the HMRC relationship and supports with clearances, disclosures and routine enquiries.

Faye's clients have included:

Faye's professional experience advising:

Nissan
Procter & Gamble
Northumberland County Council
Durham County Council
Home Group
Wheatley Group
Newcastle Building Society
Parkdean
Bernicia
North Star Housing
Ideal Boilers
Hitachi Construction & Machinery
Newcastle United
ScS
Priory Group
Schuh
SAICA
Peter Vardy Ltd
Alpek Polyester Ltd

Background

Hannah Shaw is a VAT Senior Manager with over 10 years’ experience and she is CTA qualified.

Hannah has significant experience and specialisms in relation to health, land and property transactions and partial exemption. She advises across the private and public sectors. She regularly advises owner managed businesses, sole traders, multi-national corporates and the public sector including local authorities and charitable organisations.

Professional experience

Hannah has extensive experience in advising her clients across a range of day-to-day VAT issues as well as advising on more strategic issues around structuring international supply chains and transactions such as property, asset and share sales.

Hannah regularly advises her clients on managing their VAT position in an efficient and compliant manner, including providing compliance reviews and answering ad hoc queries. She regularly advises on a wide range of VAT issues, including land and property queries, the option to tax, VAT liability issues, partial exemption and more general VAT compliance matters. She assists her clients with managing the relationship with HMRC, disclosures and general HMRC correspondence.

Hannah's clients have included:

Hannah's professional experience advising:

Nissan
OQEMA
Barcelona FC
Currensea
Crafter’s Companion
Northumberland County Council
Durham County Council
Stone Circle Group
2 Heads Global Design
2 Heads Global Agency
Clark Homes
KP Snacks
Royal Albert Docks Trust
Manchester Life
Darts Corner
Evangelical Movement of Wales

Background

Meghan Ashcroft is an Assistant VAT Manager in the Newcastle office.

She has 8 years’ experience working in VAT, is ATT qualified and is currently studying for her CTA qualification.

Meghan previously worked as a VAT compliance officer within HMRC Large Business Unit working with businesses within motor, utilities and pharmaceutical industries.

Professional experience

Meghan has experience assisting a wide range of clients with various VAT issues including managing HMRC communications, ad-hoc queries and overseas VAT compliance.

She has a wealth of experience in answering ad-hoc VAT advisory queries from her previous role as an advisor working with accountants and owner managed businesses.

Meghan supports the VAT Senior Manager and the VAT Partner and has experience in several areas, including:

UK VAT Compliance
Voluntary disclosures
Land and property
VAT liability queries
Cross-border transactions
VAT accounting schemes
Public Sector
Housing Associations
Partial Exemption and CGS

Meghan's clients have included:

Meghan's professional experience advising:

ScS
Newcastle Building Society
Home Group
Wheatley Group
Parkdean
Newcastle United
SAICA
Alpek Polyester Ltd
Mayborn Group
Go-Ahead Group
Nexus

Background

Anoosh Husain is a VAT consultant in our VAT team, she joined us in March 2021. Anoosh previously worked at HMRC as a Tax Compliance Officer for four years and DWP as a Compliance Caseworker for three months.

She has passed her ATT qualification and is working towards her CTA qualification. During her time at HMRC she gained significant experience in conducting compliance reviews and dealt with ad hoc queries on small businesses and individuals.

Professional experience

Since joining us, Anoosh has been supporting the VAT senior managers and the VAT partner, while furthering her experience in several areas of private practice such as;

Options to tax and disapplication of the option to tax queries
Land and property
UK VAT compliance, IOSS and OSS returns
Partially exempt companies and charities
VAT liability issues
International VAT queries
International VAT compliance queries
Assisting clients through HMRC VAT compliance review

Anoosh's clients have included:

Anoosh's professional experience advising:

FC Barcelona
Nissan
OQEMA Limited
Durham Wildlife Trust
Clevertech SpA
Rotho Babydesign GmbH
Chained and Able Limited
Videojet Technologies Limited
Legendare Limited
Darts Corner Limited
ECH Scientific Limited
Crafter’s Companion Limited
Alder Sportswear Limited
Spectrum Collections Limited
Evangelical Movement of Wales

Background

Beth Davison is a VAT assistant in our Newcastle team. She joined Haines Watts in August 2023 after studying for her A-level qualifications in Maths, Business and Geography.

Beth is currently working towards her ATT qualification and will then move onto her CTA (Indirect Tax).

Professional experience

Beth supports the VAT team and routinely advises in relation to areas such as;

•    UK VAT compliance
•    Import One Stop Shop (“IOSS”) returns
•    EU VAT compliance, including Ireland and Germany
•    International VAT compliance queries
•    Options to tax
•    VAT registrations
•    VAT liability issues
•    Land and Property
•    Partially exempt companies and charities

Beth's clients have included:

Beth’s professional experience advising:

•    Nissan
•    Crafter’s Companion Limited
•    Spectrum Collections Limited
•    Alder Sportswear Limited
•    Darts Corner Limited
•    Noah’s Ark Children’s Charity
•    California Holding Limited
•    Rigg Tech Group Limited
•    Special Piping Materials Limited

Background

Viktoryia is an expert in International Trade & Customs. She specialises in regulatory compliance and tax.

Viktoryia has over 7 years experience working in areas such as: cross-jurisdictional legal analysis, international business development, supply chain management, goods manufacturing, international affairs and public policy. She has carried out work for PwC and other consultancy firms. Viktoryia has also lobbied for UK and EU institutions.

Professional experience

Currently, Viktoryia holds a varied portfolio of clients. She advises in international trade compliance, costs savings and cross-border operations. Her methodology ranges from auditing businesses’ current processes (internal and/or outsourced), to proposing new processes, procurement options and business restructuring.

Viktoryia holds strong technical skills and knowledge in: international law, contract reviewing, and engaging in mediation of negotiating positions. She also has vast experience on matters such as import and export, licensing, policy inconsistencies, safeguarding measures, sanctions and export controls. Viktoryia prepares and manages official audits for local authorities, communicating on their behalf when needed.

Viktoryia's clients have included:

Viktoryia's professional experience advising:

Innocent
Coca-cola
Honda
Nissan
Art Galleries
BM Catalysts
Organox
Dunlop
Waterdrop
AYBL
Lawton Tubes
Neon Healthcare

Background

Shana Mohammed is a VAT Manager working in the Newcastle and Scotland areas.

She is FCCA and ATT qualified, with over 15 years’ experience specialising in VAT. Shana has worked both in practice (including the Big 4) and industry in contracting and secondment roles.

Professional experience

Shana has experience assisting with a wide range of VAT issues and works to help clients understand their position, be compliant and mitigate risks by providing clear and pragmatic advice. She supports the VAT Senior Managers and VAT Partner.

Shana has worked across various sectors including charities, owner managed businesses of all sizes, and large corporations.

Shana advises on a wide range of VAT issues including land and property queries, the option to tax, transfers of going concerns, partial exemption, VAT liability issues and general VAT compliance matters; as well as providing VAT Audits and reviews for clients.

Shana's clients have included:

OQEMA
Black &White
State Street
Scottish National Investment Bank
International Primary Care Respiratory Group
Moredun Research Institute
National Galleries of Scotland
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Scottish Opera
Scottish Ballet
Ingenico
Cefetra
ACCA
Gap Holdings Limited
Alpek