VAT rise

[MKG]

Oh, I am peed off. I just wrote a huge missive on this subject (obviously having logged in) only to be told right at the end of it that I have to log in. I did - and the missive disappeared into the misty horizons of the net. Perhaps it's a message for me.

But I'm still peed off.

Mike

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Oh, I am peed off. I just wrote a huge missive on this subject (obviously having logged in) only to be told right at the end of it that I have to log in. I did - and the missive disappeared into the misty horizons of the net. Perhaps it's a message for me.

But I'm still peed off.

Mike

It's the Gods telling you you shouldn't be up at that time.

Could you bring yourself to at least give us a summary?

[Millymollymandy]

Oooooh always, always press Ctrl + C before posting anything longer than a paragraph or two!!! (For me it's the sometimes cutting out internet connection, or if not that, those gremlins that live within forums).

[TheGoodEarth]

Full list of VAT on food

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... 8#P67_4124

[A&A]

...
With VAT at 20% it does make it easier to work out the net price now, divide by 6, before at 17.5% you had to multiply by 7 and divide by 27, when at 15% it was multiply by 3 divide by 23, so it should save accountants about 3 minutes a week as well.

I think you typo'd. At 17.5% it was multiply by 7 divide by 47.

[A&A]

Additionally, with all this talk in the media of everything going up 2.5%, for the average person (i.e. not a VAT registered business), prices (VAT inclusive) should only increase by 2.15%. You don't add 2.5% onto an already VAT inclusive price.

Yeah, yeah - I'm doing my accounts at the moment...zzzzzz

[greenorelse]

VAT benefits those with the most money and penalizes those with least.

I'm probably being hugely thick here but I can't see it. Surely those with least money will spend a much higher proportion of their total income on essentials such as food (of which some at least doesn't have VAT on it) and home fuel bills which didn't go up?

The one good thing about VAT is that it is, to a certain extent, voluntary. You can chose to buy less, or buy cheaper goods or to buy from second hand or charity shops which may not have to charge VAT. For services you can chose to use a self employed plumber/electrician/etc who doesn't need to be VAT registered.

Zoe

Remember Zoe, people without much money, when it comes to buying goods, tend to be forced to buy the very cheapest (all this Aldi/Lidl shite that's flooding in). It lasts two minutes and then they're snookered. 'Landfill fodder' was mentioned on another thread.

A top quality fridge or washing machine for instance will last decades. We have a neighbour who has had several cheap washing machines while we've known her.

We got a second-hand good quality one in 1986 which was still going strong in 2004 (giving it away, so it might be still going!), when we decided to get a top-of-the-range Miele, which could last 25 years.

Flat tax is by its nature regressive but I do agree with you on your point about voluntary purchase - and I especially agree with trying to avoid VAT. In this country, our taxes go primarily to support gamblers in the financial market and so every cent in tax I pay is begrudged.

[citizentwiglet]

Full list of VAT on food

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... 8#P67_4124

Thanks - that's really helpful.

I feel much better knowing that Twiglets and chocolate body paint are zero rated. Yay!

[Milims]

Slighty miffed that Bicarb is vatable!

[Rosendula]

There you are Rosey ... http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=284
Interestingly, food is fourth on the list ... after (sky) TV.

Thanks for that Tony. Interesting to see travel at the top of the list. I wonder how much of that is commuting to work

[Rosendula]

Full list of VAT on food

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... 8#P67_4124

I didn't realise that so much food was zero-rated . So I'll be even less worse-off than I thought.

[niknik]

No longer livingin the Uk, where VAt is concerned, i sometimes wish I did!!

It has gne up here as well ( from 16 to 18%). neither of which allows for quick easy mental arithmatic!.

Thats the standard rate, but there are several others 4 % on food, 8% on property purcase etc.........

There are no possibilities for voluntary registration, If you run a business or are self employed. you charge vat., unless of course it is a zero rated activity. ( not many). Makes life complicated and unllike UK no claiming back vat on items used for zr. ( well thats how it used to be in UK, dont know if it still is of course!

What I hadnt realised is that the UK dropped the rate to 15% for 2 years (?).. did the retailers pass on that saving...or just increase their profits?

[Thomzo]

VAT benefits those with the most money and penalizes those with least.

I'm probably being hugely thick here but I can't see it. Surely those with least money will spend a much higher proportion of their total income on essentials such as food (of which some at least doesn't have VAT on it) and home fuel bills which didn't go up?

The one good thing about VAT is that it is, to a certain extent, voluntary. You can chose to buy less, or buy cheaper goods or to buy from second hand or charity shops which may not have to charge VAT. For services you can chose to use a self employed plumber/electrician/etc who doesn't need to be VAT registered.

Petrol/diesel of course has to be excluded from all the points above.

Zoe

Well I'm not too sure,about the choice thing.you COULD do without the washing machine,you COULD do without a motor,bloody hard here,etc.etc.But ,above all, if you dont accept that those with the ability to pay more should pay more than those,who do not,then thewhole basis of the system that has largely created the situation where one person has a great deal more wealth than another,breaks down.

Erm, sorry but my point is that you CAN chose to buy a cheaper brand of washing machine, hence pay less VAT, you CAN chose to buy a second hand car on which you probably won't pay any VAT etc etc.

However, if you are working you CANT avoid paying tax on your earning. That was all I meant by VAT being partly voluntary.

By the way, there isn't any VAT on train tickets (yet).

Zoe

[greenorelse]

Erm, sorry but my point is that you CAN chose to buy a cheaper brand of washing machine

Thus my point, "buy cheap, buy twice", rendering vat savings non-existent.

[paul123456]

Hello there ,

what's next ? that our beloved government wants to tax our own produced food by charging vat on it , all ready government have considered this , just wait till portugal and belguim go bankrupt and it will be a fakt , paying vat over you own produce !

regards ,

Paul