VAT Relief

Last updated: 22 April 2026

Many of our customers can buy eligible products without VAT. This is an approved HMRC scheme, and we make it easy to claim when you check out. Please read this page carefully before you do, because making a declaration you are not entitled to make can leave you liable for the VAT and, in some cases, HMRC penalties.

How much you save

VAT is currently 20%. When you claim VAT relief on an eligible product, the VAT is removed from the price, which is a saving of one sixth of the total price shown.

How the scheme works on our site

Eligible products are shown with two price options at the point of purchase: the standard price including VAT, and the VAT-free price for eligible customers. Products that are not eligible for VAT relief show only the standard price.

To claim relief, add eligible products to your basket, then complete the short declaration during checkout. VAT is removed automatically when you confirm the declaration. You then pay and check out in the normal way.

Who can claim

You can claim VAT relief if you are buying eligible products for personal or domestic use, and you are:

Chronically sick or disabled, meaning you have a physical or mental impairment that has a long-term and substantial effect on your ability to carry out everyday activities; or

Living with a long-term condition that is treated medically as a chronic illness, such as diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, or similar; or

Terminally ill.

You do not need any formal certification, Blue Badge, or registration to qualify. The scheme is based on your honest declaration of eligibility.

You can also make a purchase on behalf of someone else who is eligible. In this case, the declaration must be completed in the name of the eligible person, not your own.

Who cannot claim

VAT relief does not apply where:

The goods are for business use;

The goods are for use by a group of people rather than an individual (for example, shared equipment in a community setting);

The person receiving the goods is staying or living in a hospital, care home, or similar setting as part of their treatment or care;

The condition is short-term, such as a broken limb or recovery from surgery.

Older age alone does not qualify a person for VAT relief. Many older customers do qualify, but on the basis of a specific long-term condition rather than age itself.

If you are unsure

If you are not sure whether you qualify, or whether a particular product is eligible, please contact us at support@helpfulthings.co.uk before you buy. HMRC also publishes detailed guidance on VAT relief at www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-relief-on-certain-goods-if-you-have-a-disability, or you can call the HMRC VAT helpline on 0300 200 3700.

Charities

Registered charities buying eligible goods on behalf of disabled people may also qualify for VAT relief under slightly different rules. If you are buying on behalf of a charity, please contact us at support@helpfulthings.co.uk before placing your order, and we will help you complete the correct declaration.

What happens after you claim

We keep each VAT relief declaration for six years, as HMRC requires. We do not share your declaration with anyone other than HMRC in the event of an audit.

If HMRC later rules that VAT relief was not applicable to a purchase, we may ask you to pay the VAT amount that was not charged at the time. HMRC can also impose penalties for false declarations. We make every effort to explain the rules clearly so that this does not arise.

If you realise after checkout that you were eligible and did not claim, please email us at support@helpfulthings.co.uk with your order number. We can usually process a refund of the VAT if the declaration is made within a reasonable time of purchase.

This page is a guide, not formal advice

HMRC's published guidance is the authoritative source, and it is linked above. This page is a plain-English summary to help you use the scheme easily. If anything on this page conflicts with HMRC guidance, HMRC guidance takes precedence.