Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy not to charge VAT on defibrillators.

The Government currently provides various VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators and other first aid equipment. For example, when an AED is purchased with funds provided by a charity or by voluntary contributions, and then donated to an eligible body (such as an NHS body or a charitable care institution), this purchase can then be zero rated, meaning no VAT is charged. Otherwise, they attract the standard rate of VAT.

Beyond this, the Government has agreed to provide funding of £1 million to design a grant scheme that expands public access to AEDs. The Government continues to encourage communities and organisations across England to consider purchasing a defibrillator as part of their first-aid equipment, specifically in densely populated areas. In addition, last year the Government committed to supplying state-funded schools in England with defibrillators to make sure there is a device in every school, with deliveries completed in June 2023. This means that every state-funded school in England, over 21,500 schools, now has access to an AED.

The Department of Health and Social Care are examining whether there are ways to further expand public access to defibrillators.

The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.