What is this, "VAT" Value Added Tax in the UK

[Richard Cranium]

Is this sorta like "Sales Tax" that we pay in the us ?

AT 17.5% This seems ludicrous to me. Even at Extreme altitudes where snow removal equiptment or at the beach where Hotel Taxes are imposed these seldom exceed 11%

I pity you guys getting reamed like this, IMHO of course.

http://www.theinquirer.net/12020208.htm

[strangerstill]

Yeah, but it gets added on to prices before you see them, so you know exactly how much you're paying when you get to the checkout. I really hate that aspect of US sales tax, gets so confusing whenever I'm in America...

[Skywalker[TSG]]

17,5% isn't that bad

in sweden it's 25%

[Daft_Ghosty]

ouch guys that is allot.. 5% in my state.

[Richard Cranium]

Yeah, in the US, sales tax varies wildly.

We also add in what's called "Local Option Sales Tax"

These are used to build things the community Votes for;

Stadiums, Libraries, By-Pass Highways, Arenas where the Lions eat the Communists ""

Vell Dahling, I'm not sure vhat vat dis,.,

[krusty the klown]

'Value added tax' was invented by the same (oxy)moron that came up with 'Microsoft Works'

It's just another tax & one that was introduced (presumably) because some politician wanted to increase tax but say 'income tax has not increased under our administration'. Stealth Tax, taxation by the back door (and it wouldn't surprise me if the politicians tax that before long, too )

VAT supposedly applies to non essential items.

For example, childrens' clothes are deemed essential, but adults' clothes are not. Presumably, post-pubescent hair is supposed to keep us adults warm enough and not walking around naked is sheer extravagance!

There was an interesting debate a while back on the reason why VAT was being applied to female sanitary products (another luxury, in the eyes of the politicians).

VAT does not apply to most food... however, there are some interesting anomalies: raw tiger king prawns, fillet steak (not sure what the US cut is called - it's the most expensive & tender cut of beef) and coffee are non-VAT items. VAT is applied to 'processed' foods and alcohol. Buy some bread, salad and chicken, take them home & make a sandwich - you will not pay VAT, but if a company does this for you & places said sandwich in a plastic package, you pay VAT for the priviledge. Coffee is roasted, ground & packaged, but this is not deemed a processed food, whereas the act of pouring spring water into a bottle is "processing".

Heating and lighting your house is a luxury until you draw a pension, then it becomes a necessity. Fuel oil, coal, gas and electricity are taxed @ 5%, but pensioners receive a £200 'winter heating' allowance in their State pension.

Confused

Remember: Politics - Poli = many & Tics = blood-sucking creatures.

[DutchMaster]

17.5% sounds normal to me. 19% here.
Only food is 6%
Basically you don't need to pay VAT if you're from outside the EU. But I am not sure.

[Gibbo]

At least VAT is standard 17.5% and not varied within products plus, as stranger said

Yeah, but it gets added on to prices before you see them, so you know exactly how much you're paying when you get to the checkout

[Medo]

Hello,

We have GST (Goods and services tax) and it is at 10 %. There are some similarities with Krusty the klown's elaboration of VAT's.


Medo