The number of businesses registered for VAT in North West Cambridgeshire constituency between the start of 1997 and at the start of 2008 is shown in the following table.
VAT-registered business at start of year 1997 3,005 1998 3,105 1999 3,230 2000 3,310 2001 3,355 2002 3,435 2003 3,565 2004 3,635 2005 3,695 2006 3,825 2007 3,925 2008 4,015 Source: BERR National Statistics publication “Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007” available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm
The number of VAT-registered businesses in North West Cambridgeshire constituency rose from 3,005 at the start of 1997 to 4,015 at the start of 2008—a rise of 34 per cent., compared with an average rise of 24 per cent. across the whole of the UK.
VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.