Tara, What store, specifically please, as I will get in touch...
Regards, Neil Barnfather Talks List Administrator Twitter @neilbarnfather TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com URL: - www.talknav.com e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 On 16 Oct 2012, at 18:49, Tara Prakash <taraprak...@gmail.com> wrote: > I know someone who bought iPhone 4s in London and didn't have to pay VAT on > it. > Don't really know about legalities but this information about a blind person > being exempted from vat on iPhone is accurate. > > Thanks > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Neil Barnfather - TalkNav" > <for...@talknav.com> > To: <viphone@googlegroups.com> > Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 9:53 AM > Subject: Re: You can by apple products in the UK VAT free if your blind. > > > Dear Alex and All, > > I have, as this is very important, firstly checked with our internal finance > team, and then with HMRC directly. > > You cannot, repeat cannot, get nil rated VAT relief on items purchased within > the UK which are, so to speak, off the shelf none adaptive technologies. > > The simple rule of thumb is; if the item comes right off the shelf, and can > be used without modification or alteration by the disabled person, then it > does not qualify. > > Yes, the iPhone has Voice Over built into it, as do all Apple products, yet, > the same inclusive or access technology is included in all of Apple's > products. This is not a specific modification for the blind user. > > As such, Apple's products do not qualify for VAT nil rating under this > section of law. > > They directed me to the below text, which I have, for ease, copied and pasted > below. > > It should be noted, that if you obtain a product without paying VAT, where > you should have, you are as liable as the vender. In other words, it is not a > defence to say,'well, Apple gave me the VAT nil rating…" > > Goods and services exempt from VAT > > In accordance with group 14 of the zero rate schedule to the value > added tax act 1983. > > Blind and partially sighted people, and charities working on their > behalf, can buy certain goods without paying VAT on them. This relief > from VAT also extends to: > > - the provision of services to adapt items for use by, or to meet the > needs of, a blind or partially sighted person > - spare parts, accessories, repair and maintenance of such goods and > adaptations. > > Goods which have been designed solely for use by disabled or blind and > partially sighted people and which are for personal or domestic use only > will be zero-rated for VAT. > > This would include such items as: > > - CCTV reading aids > - braille display units > - braille embossers > - speech synthesiser units > - speech output and character enlargement software. > > Computer systems which are specially designed and manufactured solely > for the use of disabled people may qualify for a composite or reduced > rate of VAT where components and software similar to the above are > included in their manufacture. > > Training in the use of such computer systems may also qualify for a > reduced rate of VAT for individuals where the equipment is used for > personal or domestic use. You should check with your supplier regarding > the amount of VAT to be charged when discussing purchase of you computer > system. > > Relief does not apply to general purpose goods used by disabled people. > > Corrective spectacles and contact lenses are not relieved from VAT. > > If you need to have any general-purpose goods adapted to meet your needs > as a disabled person, so that you can use them, anything you pay to have > them adapted is exempt from VAT, but you would have to pay the normal > rate of VAT on the goods themselves. > > Some building work may also be exempt from VAT, including: > > - ramps, doorways and passages > - bathrooms, washrooms and lavatories > - lifts. > > -ends- > > The last paragraph here is important, that the actual item itself is not nil > rateable, only the adaption. Voice Over is not an adaption, it is not > something specially installed for you, its there for any user, sighted or > otherwise. > > Regards, > > Neil Barnfather > > Talks List Administrator > Twitter @neilbarnfather > > TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple > iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your accessible > phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com > > URL: - www.talknav.com > e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com > Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 > > On 16 Oct 2012, at 14:26, Alex Wallis <alexwallis...@googlemail.com> wrote: > >> Hi list, >> I just found out something interesting that I didn't know before. >> If your registered blind in the UK you can by apple products v a t free, so >> that means you get about 20 percent off. >> In the case of the iPhone 5 64 gb model this would save you about £140, >> I assume this applies to all apple products, given that they all include >> VoiceOver these days. >> I new about being able to get products specially designed for the visually >> impaired v a t free, but had no idea this applied to Apple. >> I rang my local store, and they were aware of this, I heard from someone >> else that the store in covent garden in London is also aware of this, but >> the person also said that the store in regents street wasn't aware of it, so >> it sounds like not all stores know about this, still its definitely worth >> knowing about. >> Hope people find the above information useful. >> Alex. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en.
