Events Industry: VAT
(asked on 14th December 2021) - View Source
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the introduction of Plan B COVID-19 restrictions, whether they will cancel the planned VAT rise on cultural exhibition and event tickets.
This question was answered on 20th December 2021
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, the Government extended the 5 per cent temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to help ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. This new rate will end on 31 March 2022.
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, the Government extended the 5 per cent temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to help ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. This new rate will end on 31 March 2022.
All taxes are kept under review, but there are no plans to extend the 12.5 per cent reduced rate of VAT. This relief has cost over £8 billion. Applying a reduced rate of VAT for a longer period would impose additional pressure on the public finances, to which VAT makes a significant contribution.