Air Ambulances in the UK VAT petition

[jonclox]

Copied from another (non railway) forum-----------------------

All of the Air Ambulances in the UK are operated on a charitable basis having to raise not inconsiderable funds each year to keep operating.

Unfortunately Air Ambulances are not exempt from the VAT on the fuel they use, a strange anomaly compared with the RNLI who are.

There's an e-petition, if anyone would like to sign up. If 100k signatures can be raised the issue will at least be be debated in the House of Commons.

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

Please consider signing this e-petition as it would make a huge difference to the running costs of all our Air Ambulances

[hairygit]

Too right! I've just signed, and would urge everyone here to please do the same. These people do a sterling job, and save many lives, and to see part of the funds raised for them going to the treasury in V.A.T. on fuel is just so wrong!

[Chinahand]

I'm with you guys.

[jonclox]

Please also take a few minutes to copy/paste the link to other forums who might have members who would be willing to sign up

[hairygit]

Already have, it's now on the Honda SOHC motorcycle forum as well

[scotsoft]

All done and passed on to all in my address book 

[EtchedPixels]

Something to say on this from lobbying on other issues

1000 epetition signatures is worth little to an MP compared with an actual letter or emailed query from a constituent. If you want to make a bigger difference then writing is best. This is particularly true if your MP is in opposition and therefore wishes to find opportunities to pee on the government and blame them for anything currently occurring,

So if you can be bothered to sign it and care enough to spend 5-10 mins concocting your own letter to your MP inserting your local air ambulance etc do it. And if you can't be bothered to work a postbox then use MySociety's www.writetothem.com. It'll even work out who your minions are from your postcode.

Alan

[OwL]

EP , Jonclox

Thank you both for highlighting the issue.

I have just signed,

[Newportnobby]

Likewise, and I was absolutely gobsmacked to hear about this.
What an appalling injustice for a vital service

[MikeDunn]

Signed ...

However, I understand there is no automatic right of debate of any of these petitions regardless of how many people e-sign them ... and the cynic in me says the Exchequer will revoke the excemtion on the Lifeboats rather than give it to the Air Ambulance (regardless of which party is in power - they're all crooks  ) ...

I wish this petition well, but ...

Mike

[Donkey]

Thank's so much for highlighting this matter. Signed up straight away 

Marty

[Fratton]

signed,,,, a worthy petition,,,,,

[red_death]

The real issue is not whether a charity is charged VAT, but whether they can reclaim it. This is a problem for all charities as they provide tax exempt or zero rated supplies, or services for no charge meaning they can not reclaim VAT.

I must declare an interest here in that the company I work for has worked on this issue for 25+ years on behalf of a group of charities.

Cheers, Mike

[Newportnobby]

Forgive me for being dense, but if the service charged a nominal £1 could they then reclaim the VAT

[red_death]

Not my area of expertise, so I can't remember, but I doubt it as the VAT on the output (£1) would be far lower than the VAT on the fuel.  To reclaim the whole lot the VAT on the output would need to be higher than the VAT on the inputs.

I am afraid that VAT is a massive issue for charities - I did some stats for my colleagues about 2 years ago and we estimated that charities in the UK "lost" over £1bn on VAT.

The whole issue of VAT (including how it affects charities) is currently being looked at by the European Commission.

Cheers, Mike