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VAT Relief on Pressalit Care Products: Do You Qualify?
Many of the accessible bathroom products we sell can be supplied free of VAT — removing 20% from the price — when they are bought by someone who is chronically sick or disabled, for their own personal or domestic use. It is one of the most valuable and least understood reliefs available, and it does not depend on your income or who pays the bill. Here is a plain-English explanation of who qualifies, what is covered, and how to claim it.
This guide is general information, not formal tax advice. Final eligibility rests on the customer's own declaration to HMRC. If you are unsure, contact us and we will help you check your specific items before you order.
Who qualifies for VAT relief?
VAT relief is available to people who are chronically sick or disabled. In HMRC's terms, that generally means one of the following:
- A physical or mental impairment that has a long-term and substantial effect on your ability to carry out everyday activities;
- A condition that the medical profession treats as a chronic sickness — a long-term illness such as diabetes, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis or arthritis; or
- A terminal illness.
Importantly, you do not need to be registered disabled, and you do not need a doctor's letter to claim — the relief works on a simple self-declaration. A carer or family member can buy the qualifying goods on behalf of an eligible person.
Who does not qualify
- Someone who is frail or elderly but otherwise able-bodied, with no qualifying condition.
- Someone with a temporary injury, such as a broken leg that will heal.
- A purchase for general use rather than for the personal or domestic use of an eligible person.
Which Pressalit Care products qualify?
The relief applies to goods that are designed solely for use by chronically sick or disabled people, and to certain bathroom adaptations. Across the Pressalit Care range that typically includes:
- Height-adjustable and powered washbasins and brackets;
- Toilet support arms and grab rails;
- Powered toilet lifters;
- Shower seats and shower changing tables;
- Hi-lo adult changing benches.
Some general bathroom items that are not specifically designed for disabled use will still carry standard VAT — which is exactly why it is worth letting us check a specific basket for you rather than assuming either way.
How to claim it
Claiming is straightforward. When you order a qualifying product, the eligible person (or someone acting for them) completes a short VAT relief eligibility declaration stating their condition and that the goods are for their personal or domestic use. You keep no receipts or medical proof for this — the declaration is the mechanism HMRC uses, and the supplier records it.
On qualifying items, the VAT simply comes off the price. There is no separate refund to chase and no income test to pass.
What it means for the price
For a qualifying buyer, VAT relief removes the 20% VAT from eligible products. On a larger accessible bathroom project — an adjustable basin, a powered toilet lifter and a shower changing table, for example — that can amount to a substantial saving, and it stacks on top of any funding such as a Disabled Facilities Grant you may be entitled to.
Many Pressalit Care products qualify for VAT relief for eligible disabled or chronically ill users — contact us to check eligibility. Lead time is confirmed at the point of order.
Check your VAT relief eligibility
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be registered disabled to claim VAT relief?
No. You do not need to be registered disabled or to provide a doctor's note. The relief is claimed by completing a simple eligibility declaration confirming your condition and that the goods are for your personal or domestic use.
Can I claim VAT relief for a family member?
Yes. A family member or carer can buy qualifying goods on behalf of a chronically sick or disabled person, and complete the declaration on their behalf.
Is VAT relief the same as a Disabled Facilities Grant?
No — they are separate and can be used together. VAT relief removes the VAT from qualifying products at the point of sale, while a Disabled Facilities Grant is means-tested funding from your local council toward the cost of adapting your home.
Does VAT relief apply to everything in my order?
Only to items that qualify — products designed solely for disabled use and certain adaptations. General bathroom products are still charged at the standard rate. Contact us and we will tell you exactly which items in your basket qualify.