VAT on work boots.

[BN9Pete]

I have just bought some Scruffs workboots from a large plumbing merchant, and been charged VAT, the advert for the boots in the free plumbing mag in the merchants said VAT free.
I am not VAT registered so can not claim it back.
I withheld the VAT payment on my acount and the merchants acounts office phoned and said they charged VAT as they don't know if i am a sole trader(sorry no pun intended) and i could have purchased the boots for an employee.

I always thought boots were VAT free and i have no employees.
Can anyone help with this?
Thankyou

 

[Ermintrude]

Think Ppe is zero vat rated, not all of it is though. never checked , invoices. claim it all back at end of quarter, Just post them the advert.

 

[tamz]

All ppe is zero rated. The merchant is at fault here but as probably most accounts are vat registered and claiming it back, nobody much notices.
Some fashion type work boots (even if they have steel toe caps) are vatted.

Btw they should only be charging 5% vat on gas refills but not many do either.

 

[SimonJohns]

5% on energy eff products too. E.g trv's

 

[Ermintrude]

5% on energy eff products too. E.g trv's

Carful u will turn into corgi vat saver!

 

[julesverne]

Wonder why they dont charge 5% on a rated boilers.

 

[AWheating]

proper work boots are vat free, work trainers/fasion boots are normally not.

 

[julesverne]

Carful u will turn into corgi vat saver!

always wondered if its legit seems to good to be true . I also heard a rumour customs and excise were trying to scupper it.

 

[BN9Pete]

All ppe is zero rated. The merchant is at fault here but as probably most accounts are vat registered and claiming it back, nobody much notices.
Some fashion type work boots (even if they have steel toe caps) are vatted.

Btw they should only be charging 5% vat on gas refills but not many do either.

Thanks Tamz, with safety trainers i think VAT is charged but i have now seen the same boots in Screwfix VAT free and also Travis Perkins builders merchants, the strange thing is T/Perkins own the plumbing merchants(PTS) where i bought the boots.

 

[julesverne]

And also surely if its legit you or your accountant could do it for you at half the price they charge.

 

[tamz]

always wondered if its legit seems to good to be true . I also heard a rumour customs and excise were trying to scupper it.

It is legit. HMRC tried to take them to task about it a couple of years back but lost the case. If you had the notion you could do it yourself (or your accountant could). The corgi scheme just makes it easier not that i use it.

 

[Ermintrude]

Vat saver didn't get bumped because they only advise. It's the people who use it who get bumped.,

 

[julesverne]

Will have a look into it but if anyone knows a link as to its legitimacy please post on here

 

[tamz]

Have a read for yourself
HM Revenue & Customs: Paying reduced rate VAT on energy-saving materials
HM Revenue & Customs
CORGI VAT Saver | Learn more and get instant access to VAT savings today
It is quite a compex subject but can be worthwhile looking into if you do a lot of installs.
I think Corgi have scaled back a bit on how things were worked out with their optimiser.

Best speaking to a good accountant before you jump in tho.

 

[julesverne]

Thanks tamz will have a read only stuff i found on google was old from 2008 - 2010

 

[SimonJohns]

Will have a look into it but if anyone knows a link as to its legitimacy please post on here

Do you really think a TA or a mod would post BS on here. That's why we are called trusted

 

[julesverne]

just looking for info like the link tamz posted and that wasnt bs it was from hmrc. Just looking for info not the holy grail of tax avoidance so i could make informed decision as to its legitamcy. As it happens after reading Hrmc stuff . To much hassle for me and you can only save vat controls .trvs etc are installed individually you cant claim on a full install etc

 

[SimonJohns]

just looking for info like the link tamz posted and that wasnt bs it was from hmrc. Just looking for info not the holy grail of tax avoidance so i could make informed decision as to its legitamcy.

I would live a holy grail for tax avoidance

IMO Starbucks got it right.

It's a shame that the smaller companies can't get away with what they can

 

[julesverne]

Maybe be my post could have been worded better.

 

[tamz]

To much hassle for me and you can only save vat controls .trvs etc are installed individually you cant claim on a full install etc

That is where the vat optimiser came into its own. You just popped some numbers in and it came up with a figure. Saved the hastle.

As i said, i believe it has been scaled back a bit from what it was and you could still do it yourself. Just takes a few hours to work out the numbers (probably erring in their favour a bit) and Bobs your uncle. It is just repeat stuff after that.