ANGER AT 20% TAX ON MASKS Are you sure we wear them like this?
VAT slapped on PPE
BRITS will be forced to pay even more for compulsory face masks when the VAT holiday ends on Saturday.
The cost of the disposable coverings, a necessity in public places, is set to rise by a fifth.
It comes after the Treasury decided to scrap the VAT exemption on personal protective equipment.
Retailers have been informed that the sixmonth VAT holiday on PPE will come to an end on October 31.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak cut the tax at the start of May to “relieve the burden of VAT” on PPE u used to protect frontline workers.
Down Downing Street has said hea health and social care prov viders will be able to use a Government portal to get gear.
But members of the public and private businesses will have hav to fork out.
James Bielby, chief executive of the F Federation of Wholesale Distribu Distributors, said “there couldn’t be a wor worse time” for the 20% VAT rate to b be imposed again.
He s said: “Wholesalers have been trading at a loss for mont months because of the restrict strictions. Some of them have lost 80% of their business and are struggling to maintain their contracts to schools, hospitals and care homes.
“To burden them with a 20% increase in the price of equipment that they rely on to carry out their operations is kicking them when they are down and it will only increase the existing risk to food distribution to vulnerable groups.” The news of the extra costs comes as thousands more Britons face being put under the toughest lockdown measures in the coming days.
It is expected Warrington, Cheshire, will be under Tier 3 rules from Tuesday and parts of Nottinghamshire are likely to face the restrictions from Wednesday. Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire are already at Tier 3.
It means 8.2million people, around 15% of England’s population, will face the strictest lockdown that requires pubs to close unless they only serve alcohol with a substantial meal.
A further 174 coronavirus deaths since Friday’s update bring the UK total to 44,745, with 23,013 people testing positive.