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VAT on shoes

D

DianaC

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I am sure that I read years ago that people with diabetes could reclaim the VAT that they paid for shoes from a government department. Does anybody know about this?
 
The dept responsible for VAT is HMRC. I'd be surprised if you could reclaim that VAT on normal shoes. The general rule is that you can reclaim VAT on medical devices or other items specifically purchased as a medical aid. So if they're special shoes to deal with a foot problem, perhaps it's a possibility. You could try HMRC's website or ring one of the helplines; no idea if you'd get any sense out of them though.
 
I had a look on HMRC's website & this is what it says:

Which equipment and services can be bought without paying VAT?
If you have a long-term illness or you're disabled, you won't have to pay VAT when you buy any of the following items:

adjustable beds, chair lifts, hoists and sanitary devices
auditory training aids
low vision aids
medical and surgical appliances designed solely for the relief of a severe abnormality or a severe injury
alarms
motor vehicles, boats and other equipment and appliances designed solely for use by chronically sick or disabled people

You also won't have to pay VAT on any charges made for the installation, repair and maintenance of these items, or on any spare parts and accessories needed for them.

Certain building work may also be VAT free. This includes building work on:

ramps, doorways and passages
bathrooms, washrooms and lavatories
lifts

If you need to have any general purpose goods adapted for your use, because of your condition, anything you pay to have them adapted will be VAT free, but you'll still have to pay the normal rate of VAT on the goods themselves.

Also, if you're over 60, then you may not have to pay the full standard rate of VAT if you get certain mobility aids installed in your home.

I guess from the underlined paragraph, you'd be hard pressed to get the VAT back on shoes & could only reclaim the VAT on adaptations to them to assist your medical needs.
 
If you need special inserts ,or indeed special shoes, for a medical condition they can be prescribed and made specially for you by the NHS .
Have to say in my experience though, the service is extremely slow. It took over 6 months to make shoes to support my mother's badly deformed arthritic feet :(
 
Cheryl said:
I had a look on HMRC's website & this is what it says:

Which equipment and services can be bought without paying VAT?
If you have a long-term illness or you're disabled, you won't have to pay VAT when you buy any of the following items:

adjustable beds, chair lifts, hoists and sanitary devices
auditory training aids
low vision aids
medical and surgical appliances designed solely for the relief of a severe abnormality or a severe injury
alarms
motor vehicles, boats and other equipment and appliances designed solely for use by chronically sick or disabled people

You also won't have to pay VAT on any charges made for the installation, repair and maintenance of these items, or on any spare parts and accessories needed for them.

I am just about to get a new bathroom, can I claim the vat back on that :D :D :D :o
Certain building work may also be VAT free. This includes building work on:

ramps, doorways and passages
bathrooms, washrooms and lavatories
lifts

If you need to have any general purpose goods adapted for your use, because of your condition, anything you pay to have them adapted will be VAT free, but you'll still have to pay the normal rate of VAT on the goods themselves.

Also, if you're over 60, then you may not have to pay the full standard rate of VAT if you get certain mobility aids installed in your home.

I guess from the underlined paragraph, you'd be hard pressed to get the VAT back on shoes & could only reclaim the VAT on adaptations to them to assist your medical needs.
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