Bras are a basic necessity that should be exempt from VAT, radiographers say

14 comments

1. Read that as bars to start with and couldn’t understand why radiographers were choking in about pubs

2. Well by that logic surely all clothes (not just children’s clothes) are a basic necessity and should be VAT exempt.

3. All these calls for more VAT exemptions seem to hinge on the assumption/belief that VAT is a tax on luxuries or fripperies. This has never been the case and VAT is simply a tax on consumption, with a few exemptions or zero ratings that often make little sense.

   The example I always like is that VAT is charged on toilet roll (surely one of the most essential products in any house), but not on cake (a completely unnecessary “nice to have” thing).

4. What next for radiographers? Radiographers decide UK should send troops to Ukraine? Radiographers decide where I should go on holiday this year? Radiographers decide the name of my dog? Radiographers decide we should nuke Iran?

5. Well, as someone with boobs who doesn’t wear bras, I would disagree

6. Remember when publishers campaigned for ebooks to be VAT free seeing as physical books are VAT free? Then it happened and the price of ebooks stayed the same and the publishers made more profit. Removing VAT isn’t the best way to ensure cheaper goods

7. Training bras perhaps if they’re not already, but I don’t think that all bras should be, just like any other kind of adult underwear isn’t VAT exempt.

8. Reduction of VAT rates on these kind of grounds just passes the margin on as extra profit, as economically we’ve already set the price people are willing to pay. There’s some very good research on this around the period product VAT cut.

   https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/10/uk-retailers-not-passing-on-tampon-tax-savings-to-women-report-says

9. You know what’s been better for me than a ‘well-fitted bra’? No bra.

   Not all women need to wear a bra but society is still obsessed with the idea they should. As with many sexist and old-fashioned attitudes, women themselves can be the worst for perpetuating this myth.

   My pert handfuls are still self-supporting at 50, even though I haven’t bothered with bras since the first attempt to indoctrinate me when I was a teenager.

   I know it’s not the same situation for all women but can we get over the idea that bras are ‘necessary’ for all women? SOME women benefit from wearing a well-fitted bra, not all of us.

10. While we are removing VAT for health reasons, how about suncream?

11. Maybe so but I suspect manufacturers and retailers will just increase the price to offset the zero VAT as that’s set at what people will pay, not what something is worth.

12. VAT exemptions are (in general) for things which are *both* essential *and* consumable, and therefore have to be purchased regularly.

    Food (as in groceries, not restaurants) is VAT exempt as it meets both of these criteria. alcohol is consumable but not essential, and clothes are essential but not consumable, so neither are exempt. Children’s clothes are kinda consumable as they grow out of them so fast, so need to be replaced often.

    But adult bras are not consumable, so should not be VAT exempt.

    There was the whole thing with tampons a few years ago, which were charged VAT because of EU directives, but since we left the VAT could be (rightfully) removed as they are essential for a large chunk of the population and are also consumable.

13. How are all clothes not a basic necessity anyway? Go out in winter get hypothermia and potentially 💀

14. Tell that to hippies

    And by that logic all clothing would be exempt