UK nappies users.. Do you claim VAT relief when you're not incontinent?

Status
Not open for further replies.

bobbilly

Est. Contributor
Messages
1,478
Role
  1. Diaper Lover
Is it wrong to claim VAT relief when you're not incontinent? I have several disabilities but not yet incontinent and I claim relief, I have been ordering incontinence nappies for well over 16 years and and no company has very brought the subject up. I tick the '' there for my personal use box'' which has no mention about if you're actually incontinent? If they did I would just email them my disability benefit letters so say I'm disabled etc.


Just wondering.
 
I'd say it's technically speaking not a good thing to do. Claiming VAT relief when you don't need diapers is a form of tax-dodging, the same as big companies like HP and Starbucks do and are generally loathed for by the public in the know. In princible if you care about your country you should be paying your share of tax on items you buy for pleasure, entertainment, fashion, etc. etc.

That being said, it's a pretty small tax dodge. If you're really tight for money, I think a lot of people would understand (though I wouldn't want to be caught doing that).
 
SleepingBlueWolf said:
I'd say it's technically speaking not a good thing to do. Claiming VAT relief when you don't need diapers is a form of tax-dodging,

Is it the product that's taxed, or the use? I'd bet it's the product. In which case, it's not a dodge.

Here in the US, there's no sales tax on grocery food. Doesn't matter what you plan on doing with that cucumber when you get home. It's still not going to get taxed.

But I just thought of a counter-point. From the movie "Terminal". Can't import a certain drug for human consumption. But that same drug can be imported for animal treatment. That's a case of where the use is what matters, not the product. So, :dunno:
 
Its a very grey area, most suppliers allow for VAT relief so long as its a small order and for personal use. It would be very difficult to prove one way or another if indeed you were incontinent. If you tried to buy in bulk, (more than 8 bags) then it would be considered comercial use like a care home. They would have to show the vat in their accounts.
When i was young and well into my teens I was a bed wetter so could be clasified as incontinent. But in those days it was terry nappies and plastic pants to bed. Now I buy for personal use(mostly overnight) and on a rare occasion have a genuine accident. Does that make me incontinent, I leave it to you to judge.
 
sissybaby34 said:
Its a very grey area, most suppliers allow for VAT relief so long as its a small order and for personal use. It would be very difficult to prove one way or another if indeed you were incontinent. If you tried to buy in bulk, (more than 8 bags) then it would be considered comercial use like a care home. They would have to show the vat in their accounts.
When i was young and well into my teens I was a bed wetter so could be clasified as incontinent. But in those days it was terry nappies and plastic pants to bed. Now I buy for personal use(mostly overnight) and on a rare occasion have a genuine accident. Does that make me incontinent, I leave it to you to judge.

I recently purchased 20 bags off Attends Regular Slip from a very well know supplier and on check out they never questioned the VAT relief, but they were all the same size.
 
sissybaby34 said:
Its a very grey area, most suppliers allow for VAT relief so long as its a small order and for personal use. It would be very difficult to prove one way or another if indeed you were incontinent. If you tried to buy in bulk, (more than 8 bags) then it would be considered comercial use like a care home.

I've read numerous accounts here where IC individuals order many cases at a time. Some health care plans and locations kinda require you to keep an eye out for deals and stock up when you see them, deals which come around once or twice a year.

When that once place had the abena bogo here back in january, there were several people saying they had bought 10+ cases. So I don't really see where 8 bags would be anywhere near an indicator of "commercial use". If I had to draw a line somewhere, maybe 20 cases? That's guaranteed to be more than a year's supply even if you're totally IC.

Running the numbers.. the largest bag I see is 24 count, 8 of those bags would be 192 diapers. At 5 a day (marginally small for fully IC), that'd last 38 days, just over one month supply. I doubt anyone that's IC would want their supply to get down to under 2 months out, that'd be risky
 
I remember reading the legislation a while back, and IIRC, shops are exempt from requiring a VAT-exempt declaration when selling diapers/pads to individuals who are buying less than 200 diapers/pads for personal use (i.e. you can buy them for another individual, but not for a care-home or other organisation).

Previously, a VAT-exempt declaration was required for disabled/incontinent individuals buying any number of pads/diapers, but HMRC decided that not enough eligible people were claiming the VAT back, and that the number of people buying diapers for non-medical use would be negligible, so they dropped the requirement for the VAT-exemption declaration.
 
I never pay VAT on my nappies. Of course I am not incontinent but have a very strong psychological need for them which I see as being a just as valid reason to use them as if it was a physical need.
 
tiny said:
I remember reading the legislation a while back, and IIRC, shops are exempt from requiring a VAT-exempt declaration when selling diapers/pads to individuals who are buying less than 200 diapers/pads for personal use (i.e. you can buy them for another individual, but not for a care-home or other organisation).

Previously, a VAT-exempt declaration was required for disabled/incontinent individuals buying any number of pads/diapers, but HMRC decided that not enough eligible people were claiming the VAT back, and that the number of people buying diapers for non-medical use would be negligible, so they dropped the requirement for the VAT-exemption declaration.
yeah, 'off the shelf' pads/nappies are zero-rated for VAT, but there seems to have been an amendment (?) to the effect that there is still the burden of proof on the seller [as to the legitimacy of the sale for use] for online sales/orders (thereby requiring the seller to get a name and address of the buyer, which would normally be automatic under the circumstances, as when buying a telly (explaining why many shops will only take card payments for televisions), but some retailers still want a seperate declaration).
that is, the 'off the shelf' zero-rating only applies when buying in person at the shop.
i got that from an advice thingymybob for retailers from HMRC; i don't know if the actual legislation has been amended.
 
bobbilly said:
Is it wrong to claim VAT relief when you're not incontinent? I have several disabilities but not yet incontinent and I claim relief, I have been ordering incontinence nappies for well over 16 years and and no company has very brought the subject up. I tick the '' there for my personal use box'' which has no mention about if you're actually incontinent? If they did I would just email them my disability benefit letters so say I'm disabled etc.


Just wondering.

Yes, I claim VAT relief and I'm not incontinent. The VAT distinction is not between whether you're incontinent or not; its whether they're being bought bought for personal use or commercial eg a nursing home. You can buy away guilt free if its just small quantities for personal use!

It would still be helpful to have an ailment or an elderly relative to mention, ready for if they ask you in a shop 'who's it for?'
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top