Tax Free Shopping Scheme
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK, mainly London, then if you shop in the right places, you can claim any tax back that you pay on purchases. There are many shops located all around the city that display the tax free sign to let you know that they take part in the scheme.
The VAT in the UK is around 15% and in order to claim it back after the purchase, you must spend at least the minimum amount which may vary from store to store, but it usually around 30. The next thing to do is to get your tax refund cheque stamped by Customs on your way out of the country.
Coming to the UK to shop have never been more opportunistic because you can now claim the tax back on all of your purchases. This luxury is available to people who are from outside the UK who are in the UK as tourists and is one of the few benefits that you can enjoy that the residents don’t get to. If you plan to bring your purchases home with you then you can ask the staff in the tax free store for a refund cheque while you are paying for your purchases.
When you get to customs on your way back to your country of origin, you should produce your tax refund form along with all of your receipts for the items you are claiming tax back from and they will then stamp it, making it ready for you to take it to a tax free office when you get back to your country (there will usually be one in the airport) and then to have the refund either put onto a credit card or get it straight back in cash.
There are shops all over the country that take part in this scheme and you can tell which ones they are because they will have a “tax free” logo on display outside them.
For more information on tax free shopping London UK visit gbtaxfree.com by clicking on airport VAT refund
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