If your business is delivering construction or installation services in the UK—even as an overseas company—you are likely a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). If you are not properly registered, your customers must deduct 30% from your payments. Even with basic registration, 20% may still be withheld.
This can seriously impact your cash flow, especially if you must pay your own subcontractors in full (gross). At Türner & Co, we help international businesses avoid these pitfalls by securing Gross Payment Status and ensuring full CIS and tax compliance.
Obtaining Gross Payment Status means no CIS tax is withheld from your payments. Without it:
Even more importantly, if you lose Gross Payment Status due to CIS or other tax non-compliance (e.g. late VAT returns, payroll errors, missed CIS filings), it can be extremely difficult to get it back.
We help overseas subcontractors: register, achieve gross status, and stay compliant.
Once you’ve secured Gross Payment Status, HMRC will monitor all UK tax compliance:
If you are also engaging subcontractors, you must register separately as a CIS Contractor – read more →
Many businesses don’t realise that one compliance failure (even as a contractor) can cause Gross Payment Status to be withdrawn, causing a sudden 20% withholding on all incoming payments.
We work with:
…to ensure everyone in your business understands the CIS and VAT rules, especially purchase ledger teams who handle invoices. One mistake—such as paying gross when you shouldn’t—can be very expensive and hard to reverse.
CIS deductions apply only to the labour element of a subcontractor’s invoice—but only if the materials are correctly itemised.
If not:
We help you draft correct invoices and check that your subcontractors issue theirs properly too.
If CIS tax is withheld before you secure gross status, it may still be recoverable.
We assist with:
For Limited Companies, CIS recovery is typically handled through the monthly EPS submission under PAYE.
No, but if you don’t register, your clients must deduct 30%—and you can’t claim it back until you are registered.
It allows you to be paid in full, without CIS deductions. You must meet certain UK turnover and tax compliance tests.
We help clients regain gross status—by reviewing compliance and preparing a structured re-application.
Yes, and if you hire subcontractors, you must register separately as a CIS Contractor. Read more →
If labour and materials aren’t separated clearly, CIS may be applied to the entire invoice. You also risk losing gross status if mistakes are repeated.
Yes. Many construction services fall under the UK Domestic Reverse Charge VAT rules. Read more →
Whether you’re applying for CIS for the first time—or need help recovering from a compliance issue—Türner & Co is here to support you.
Get expert support with CIS registration, gross status, and ongoing compliance—so your business can operate efficiently in the UK.
Assistant Manager
VAT & CIS
Manager
VAT & CIS
