Tax on menstruation

Outrageous and another good reason to leave the EU.

The principle of ring fencing tax revenue for a targeted benefit is very problematic and generally the practice is avoided. Road tax, for example, goes into general revenue and road costs allocated from separate budgets from both national and local taxation.

The amount that women's charities and causes need should be researched and then debated openly in parliament; requirement should not be tied to VAT which is, therefore, arbitrary and variable.

Using VAT also throws up anomalies such as the original poster raised whereby only women will be paying for the results of the crimes of men.

Another commenter pointed out that 'grannies' don't need the products under discussion so the burden of raising the tax will be on the shoulders of younger women and out of their already taxed income.

That men are not taxed for shaving products only highlights the inequity of this measure since men can choose not to shave and can, therefore, avoid any costs while women are obliged to use tampon type products and must pay tax as well as the cost of the items.

However, it seems that the government is only putting this measure in place as a stopgap since they cannot charge VAT at 0% while we are in the EU.

I agree Alea and it's not an unworthy thought but probably very true.

I think there are infinitely more serious things to be "up in arms" about too, ISIL, poverty, the maternal death rate in Thirld World Countries, homelessness, refugees, I could go on.
(Unworthy thought) -is it easier to be vocal about something pretty trivial, to avoid confronting the many awful things women and children face in the struggle just to survive?

There's a thing called a mooncup which does away with the need for tampons etc, so they say. Thankfully I don't need to try it now.
I was looking for a link to put on here - hope it's not too rude, the second clip looks rather risqué, I didn't watch it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zj4NhC8ahM

Glad I don't need them anymore !

Have never given a thought to tax on tampons, the tax on all things takes some working out, and if it's an EU thing .......aaaarrgh.However it doesn't stop anyone from buying products they need, tampons, loo paper or anything else.

Oh, I did hate the woman in that advert!

Off to chomp on a Jaffa cake
now, are they taxed or not taxed?
Full moon, half moon, total eclipse

And really, the 15p VAT included in the price of 32 tampons (average price £3.00) isn't that much to pay...

I'm not thank heaven and I agree with you rose its the best that can be done at the moment.

That's OK POG pax!

Are there many grannies still having periods?

Or is the OP 'up in arms' on behalf of her younger sisters?
In which case, I would think helping to fund women's health charities and shelters through this tax would be a very commendable thing to want to do.

'Bless you ' Whitewave for thinking of my well being .

Blimey Pogs calm down dear - no need for a rant - I only wondered why if we have some zero rated commodities which we argued for sayong that zero is a rate ( the clue is in the title) we couldn't argue the same for tampons, and GO in his assumption might be wrong.

We have been here before. It is a European Directive!!!!!

To have tampons etc. 0 tax rated we either leave the EU and set our own tax rate or fight from within the EU for change.

What Osborne has done is for the first time a chancellor has elected not to put the tax of 5% into the treasury pot but use it for good causes/charities that deal with women's issues.

I don't understand why some think he is wrong , is it just the case dislike of all things Osborne/Tory get's in the way of facts?

Yes - it seems that most MPs are absolutely in favour of removing this VAT, but cannot do this without a change in EU law, which will be a part of DC's new deal negotiations. The best they can do in the meantime is to earmark the tax collected on such products to help women - I have no idea how they might do this frankly and it may just be window-dressing, but it is a step in the right direction pending the outcome of the negotiations. I am no apologist for the Tories, but have had conversations with my MP and it seems that this is the position.

Well books are zero-rated as are newspapers, plus most food. So not sure if GO is correct

George Osborne stated that EU laws did not allow the removal of this tax at the moment but there were moves afoot to have this changed when it will also be changed here in UK and until then he would give the tax still collected to women's charities. It is not a new tax but one which we have been paying for years. I am not a fan of dear George but I did think that he had listened to the anti this tax brigade and doing the best he can at the moment.

Well maybe the "sistahood" will be up in arms, but if I pay VAT at the current rate on loo paper (essential) toothpaste (advisable) and most other purchases, I don't think reverting to standard rate VAT on sanitary products is a deal-breaker.
TBH if the rate hadn't been dropped to 5% in 2000, would anybody have noticed?
VAT is fiendishly complex with some odd anomalies, but we used to have Purchase Tax, now we have VAT and what is that quote about the only certainties life being "death and taxation"??