VATCalculator UK

Remove VAT from £120

£120 gross contains £20 of VAT, leaving £100 net. Use the calculator below to extract VAT from any gross amount.

Enter values above to calculate.

To remove UK VAT, divide the gross (VAT-inclusive) amount by 1 + (rate ÷ 100). At the standard 20% rate that is ÷ 1.20, so £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net, and the VAT is £120 − £100 = £20.

A common mistake is to subtract 20% from the gross — that under-removes the VAT, because the 20% was charged on the smaller net figure, not the gross.

How it works.

Formula: net = gross ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100); VAT = gross − net.

  1. Divide by 1.20: £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net.
  2. VAT element: £120 − £100 = £20.
  3. Check: £100 × 1.20 = £120.
Worked examples
£120 gross − 20% VAT = £100 net — the VAT element of the £120 total is £20.
Reading a receipt — a £120 VAT-inclusive total breaks down as £100 net plus £20 VAT.
Why divide, not subtract 20% — the VAT is 20% of the net, not of the gross. Divide the gross by 1.20: £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100.
Related: Add VAT to £120 Remove VAT from £100 Remove VAT from £125 VAT amount tables
Sources: HMRC VAT rates · retrieved 2026-06-18.

Frequently asked questions

How much VAT is in £120?
£20. With 20% VAT included, divide the gross by 1.20 to get the net (£120 ÷ 1.20 = £100), then the VAT is the difference: £120 − £100 = £20.
What is £120 minus VAT?
£100 net. Removing 20% VAT means dividing by 1.20, not subtracting 20% — subtracting 20% would give the wrong answer because the VAT is a fraction of the net.
What is the VAT fraction for 20%?
One-sixth. At 20%, the VAT in any gross amount is gross × 1/6. For £120 that is £120 × 1/6 = £20, matching the divide-by-1.20 method.