The table below shows the revised scale charges and output tax payable in each accounting period. The new scales must be used from the start of the first accounting period beginning on or after 1st May 2003. For full details visit the relevant HM Customs and Excise page by clicking here.

If you wish to update your Ob-serve system to use the new Road Fuel Scale Charges, please follow carefully the steps below:

1. The new scales should only be used from the start of the first VAT period beginning on or after 1st May 2003. Only update your system if you have already completed the VAT period before this. The update can be run at any point during the period, but bear in mind that if you wish to change which vehicles you pay the Scale Charge for, this decision must be made at the beginning of the VAT period before any fuel purchases are entered.

2. In your Ob-serve program, check the version number you have by pressing the F2 key. A 6-digit version number will be shown in the box - e.g. 001112 or 990728 next to the program number Sr.12.

3. If your program is not number Sr.12, please contact Ob-serve support for further details.

4. To download the update utility, click here. When you run the Utility, for each set of accounts the system finds you will be asked whether you wish to update the Road Fuel Scale table. Only update those which have already completed the VAT period prior to 1st May. (Old Year-End sets of accounts should preferably not be updated .)

5. Once the update is complete, the new Scale Charges have been loaded. They must then be activated during the VAT-end procedure. To do this, when you perform the VAT calculation, you need to reach the Fuel Scale Adjustments screen. For each vehicle listed, you must re-select the Vehicle Class, so that the figures in the 2 right-hand columns update to the new values. Once you accept the changes on this screen, the update is complete.