Remove VAT from £70
£70 gross contains £11.67 of VAT, leaving £58.33 net. Use the calculator below to extract VAT from any gross amount.
To remove UK VAT, divide the gross (VAT-inclusive) amount by 1 + (rate ÷ 100). At the standard 20% rate that is ÷ 1.20, so £70 ÷ 1.20 = £58.33 net, and the VAT is £70 − £58.33 = £11.67.
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.
- Divide by 1.20: £70 ÷ 1.20 = £58.33 net.
- VAT element: £70 − £58.33 = £11.67.
- Check: £58.33 × 1.20 = £70.
Worked examples
£70 gross − 20% VAT = £58.33 net — the VAT element of the £70 total is £11.67.
Reading a receipt — a £70 VAT-inclusive total breaks down as £58.33 net plus £11.67 VAT.
Why divide, not subtract 20% — the VAT is 20% of the net, not of the gross. Divide the gross by 1.20: £70 ÷ 1.20 = £58.33.
Sources:
HMRC VAT rates
· retrieved 2026-06-18.
Frequently asked questions
How much VAT is in £70?
£11.67. With 20% VAT included, divide the gross by 1.20 to get the net (£70 ÷ 1.20 = £58.33), then the VAT is the difference: £70 − £58.33 = £11.67.
What is £70 minus VAT?
£58.33 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 £70 that is £70 × 1/6 = £11.67, matching the divide-by-1.20 method.