Unfortunately, there is no “general” rule that charities are relieved of the burden of VAT.

In fact, charities have to contend with VAT in much the same way as any business. However, because of the nature of a charity’s activities, VAT is not usually neutral and often becomes an additional cost. VAT for charities often creates complex and time consuming technical issues which a “normal” business does not have to consider.

There are only a relatively limited number of zero rated reliefs specifically for charities and not for profit bodies, so it is important that these are taken advantage of. These are broadly:

• advertising services* received by charities
• purchase of qualifying goods for medical research, treatment or diagnosis
• new buildings constructed for residential or non-business charitable activities
• self-contained annexes constructed for non-business charitable activities
• building work to provide disabled access in certain circumstances
• building work to provide washrooms and lavatories for disabled persons
• supplies of certain equipment designed to provide relief for disabled or chronically sick persons

* HMRC have set out its views on digital/online advertising in Revenue and Customs Brief 13 (2020): VAT charity digital advertising relief. 

There are also special exemptions applicable to supplies made by charities:

• income from fundraising events
• admissions to certain cultural events and premises
• relief from “Options to Tax” on the lease and acquisition of buildings put to non-business use
• membership subscriptions to certain public interest bodies and philanthropic associations
• sports facilities provided by non-profit making bodies

Although treating certain income as exempt from VAT may seem attractive to a charity, it nearly always creates an additional cost as a result of the amount of input tax which may be claimed being restricted. Partial exemption is a complex area of the tax, as are calculations on business/non-business activities which fundamentally affect a charity’s VAT position.

The reduced VAT rate (5%) is also available for charities in certain circumstances:

• gas and electricity in premises used for residential or non-business use by a charity
• renovation work on dwellings that have been unoccupied for over two years
• conversion work on dwellings to create new dwellings or change the number of dwellings in a building
• installation of mobility aids for persons aged over 60

Additionally, there are certain Extra Statutory Concessions (*ESCs) which benefit charities. These zero rate supplies made to charities, these are:

• certain printed stationery used for appeals
• collection boxes and receptacles
• lapel stickers and similar tokens, eg; remembrance day poppies

* ESCs are formal, published concessions but have no legal force.

We strongly advise that any charity seeks assistance on dealing with VAT to ensure that no more tax than necessary is paid and that penalties are avoided. Charities have an important role in the world, and it is unfair that VAT should represent such a burden and cost to them.