difference between vat receipt & proof of purchase?

[scrwright]

Bought a phone handset outright from cpwh the other week for business use. Shop person couldn't print me a vat receipt out so asked me to contact their customer services. Response I got back was:
"Carphone Warehouse are unable to provide VAT receipts for personal purchases. We can however, provide a proof of purchase including the Carphone Warehouse VAT number"
Explained it was a business purchase but they repeat the above.
Is there a difference between the 2? Will the latter cause issues when claiming vat back and is their statement correct?

Thanks.

[Davel]

I'd have thought that if you have either with the VAT number on then you should be okay to recover the VAT.

[Ean218]

They may be offering just a "simplified" vat invoice.

https://www.gov.uk/vat-record-keeping/vat-invoices

Does it meet those requirements?

They are legally obliged to provide one if charging VAT.