Should a disabled person get VAT free cars and petrol ?

Wibbles

According to Sky Badger "Don’t forget…you shouldn’t pay VAT on equipment and vehicles for disabled people."

https://skybadger.co.uk/help/technology-kit/

Which got me thinking - VAT free cars and VAT free petrol - what do you think ?

Tori_Scope

That's an interesting question @Wibbles. What are your thoughts on it? 

The gov.uk website has some information about the current qualifying products or services:

Qualifying products or services

Your supplier can tell you, but usually products designed or adapted for a disability qualify. For example, certain types of:

• adjustable beds

• stair lifts

• wheelchairs

• medical appliances to help with severe injuries

• alarms

• braille paper or low vision aids - but not spectacles or contact lenses

• motor vehicles - or the leasing of a motability vehicle

• building work like ramps, widening doors, installing a lift or toilet

Cartini

Good question, but I feel this will be a contentious discussion.

There are already VAT free items for the disabled community and there are also assistive elements such as the Blue Badge scheme (I know some disabled people won`t qualify for these).

I, personally, don`t think that cars and petrol should be VAT free.  My reasoning being:

1. There is already enough "anti" feeling about Blue Badge holders and the benefits that disabled people get; making cars and petrol VAT free for the disabled community would only enhance those feelings, especially with the price of everything going through the ceiling as it is at the moment.

2.  VAT not charged for petrol or cars will have to be recovered elsewhere.  How can that be recovered?  By raising VAT on petrol and cars so that non-disabled people pay for it?  Or spreading it across other items such as food and clothes so we all pay for it (which essentially negates the advantage of VAT free petrol)?  Neither of these 2 options are acceptable.

We just have to remember that, at the end of the day, we live in rip off Britain where we are taxed on everything except the air we breathe (for now, that is).

Wibbles

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-relief-on-adapted-motor-vehicles-for-disabled-people-and-charities-notice-1002 implies that certain disabled people can get vehicles VAT free - but who decides who is disabled enough to get this ?

Cartini

I`ve seen that before and, to me, it`s quite clear.  If you go to section 2.3 and follow the links given (e.g. Section 3), this takes you to a page that breaks down who is qualified to buy cars at zero rate.