Your accountant just filed your van as "Plant & Machinery."
Mine?
They found an extra £50k sitting in plain sight.
Here's what most UK trade business owners are missing about Capital Allowances on vans in 2025/26:
You bought a van. You think you're claiming it against tax. But you're leaving thousands on the table because nobody told you about the AIA rule change coming in April.
The Reality:
Annual Investment Allowance lets you claim 100% of a van's cost (up to £1 million) in Year One.
THE BIG PROBLEM-This changes at the end of the month!
That's the full whack. Not spread over years.
Full stop.
But here's where it gets interesting:
Electric vans? 100% First-Year Allowance until March 2027 – completely outside the AIA cap.
You could buy a fleet, write off the lot, and slash your tax bill in one go.
The Catch:
From April 2026, the Writing Down Allowance drops from 18% to 14%.
If you haven't claimed it all upfront, you're watching your relief evaporate slower than a pint at the yard on Friday.
The Trap Nobody Mentions:
🟥 Double cab pickups with 1-tonne payload? They've just been reclassified as cars.(this has been in place for 12 months, not everyone knows 🟥 )
No more 100% relief. You're now on car rates.
The lads at HMRC aren't sending reminder letters about this.
So what's sitting in your books right now that you could be claiming differently?
DM me "AUDIT" – I'll show you where the "Found Money" is hiding in your capital assets.
Because your accountant might be filing it right.
But are they filing it smart?
DM me in the comments and we can chat further, before its too late 🟥
I am David Howat, Managing Director of Forward Asset Finance. Forward Asset Finance is a trusted UK finance brokerage specialising in tailored funding solutions for new and established businesses, as…
