Did you know that Air Ambulance's have to pay VAT on the fuel they use despite the fact that they are all registered charities?

If you think this is wrong please sign the on-line petition to encourage the government to review this situation.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349

Thanks in advance.

as do the mountain rescue teams, age concern and fluffy animal rescue

Too true, although things might be looking up for the Mountain Rescue teams.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12399845

that was last year.
This year Each MR / CR team is getting about ?2k from the government. This was not a VAT rebate and stated as such.

Personally i think the campaign for government cash for MR has always been affected by two things
1) in an attempt to prove that devolution is helping the Scots, Scottish MR teams get some funding
2) for some historical Quirk, Lifeboats don't pay VAT

As it is MR teams can already claim VAT exemption on
"telecommunications equipment,aural equipment,visual equipment,light enhancing equipment,heat detecting equipment ... for the purpose of rescue or first aid services undertaken by this charity"


I look at this issue from the privillaged position of being in a team thats quite well off and can afford it, but wonder
1) about slippery slopes (if RNLI, why not MR, if MR why not Air amb? if air amb why not ALSAR, RNIB, RSPCA etc etc) - this could be a huge loss of revenue for the Govt that would need to be plugged by an increase in everyone else's taxes.
2) given the consequences, it might be better to remove the exemption for the RNLI and then everyone would be back on a level playing field. This would not be popular with the RNLI

But charities should not be paying vat period. It's value added tax for luxury items. Saving someone's life is not a luxury.

I have signed the petition.

Alex said:

It's value added tax for luxury items. Saving someone's life is not a luxury.

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Perhaps someone could explain why we have to pay vat on kidney dialysis machines and any medicines prescribed in hospitals?
Damned NHS, frittering away our taxes on these damned luxuries.

I think the "luxury" definition has mostly gone out unless you're talking about Jaffa Cakes
HMRC say " (VAT) is a tax that's charged on most goods and services that VAT-registered businesses provide in the UK"  (no mention of "luxury")

Again if we VAT exempt all charities, we'd all have to dig a little deeper somewhere.

I seem to remember when VAT was 15% then 17.5% then 20% etc.
can the Government keep raising tax levels forever?

Alex said:

It's value added tax for luxury items.

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It's never been that.

Market forces,Eh? bless the little darlings I say.
O.G.

Cave_Troll said:

I think the "luxury" definition has mostly gone out unless you're talking about Jaffa Cakes
HMRC say " (VAT) is a tax that's charged on most goods and services that VAT-registered businesses provide in the UK"  (no mention of "luxury")

Again if we VAT exempt all charities, we'd all have to dig a little deeper somewhere.

I seem to remember when VAT was 15% then 17.5% then 20% etc.
can the Government keep raising tax levels forever?

Click to expand...

I bought a new motorcycle in 1974 and VAT was then 8 per cent
which I did not think was unreasonable