Something we are all used to in this country is the concept of paying tax. We have to pay tax on the vast majority of purchases we make in our lifetime as well as every pay packet we receive. It is what fuels the economy and allows the government to distribute funds where and when needed.
So tax is what makes our economy and more or less the whole capitalist system work by giving the government a slice of the profit from every transaction made in a store and every persons wage packet.
However, despite the fact that tax and its benefits are more or less what separates our country from the less economically developed countries and it allows the country to be run in a way that benefits everyone, but even so, at the end of the day, it is our hard earned money that's being taken away from us, so aren't we at least entitled to a little groan about it once in a while?
However, if you reside and are an official citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK (or few other EU countries) then there are select stores from which you can claim back any tax you've paid on your purchases!
There are five steps that you should take in order to claim your tax back, and they are:
1. Each shop that is part of the tax-free shopping scheme will have a sticker indicating so in the window, look out for this sticker and shop in these stores.
2. Ask what the minimum spending amount is to qualify for the tax refund as this can change from shop to shop.
3. Once you've bought your items (ensuring that collectively they are worth over the minimum amount to qualify) and then request and fill in the tax refund cheque form.
4. When you get to customs on your way home, display your passport along with your completed tax refund check form.
5. There will be a tax refund office nearby in the airport, or if you are in a hurry, you can send your tax refund form off to the tax refund company via post and the full amount of tax you paid on your qualifying purchases will given to you in the form of a cheque or credited to your credit card. - 30244
So tax is what makes our economy and more or less the whole capitalist system work by giving the government a slice of the profit from every transaction made in a store and every persons wage packet.
However, despite the fact that tax and its benefits are more or less what separates our country from the less economically developed countries and it allows the country to be run in a way that benefits everyone, but even so, at the end of the day, it is our hard earned money that's being taken away from us, so aren't we at least entitled to a little groan about it once in a while?
However, if you reside and are an official citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK (or few other EU countries) then there are select stores from which you can claim back any tax you've paid on your purchases!
There are five steps that you should take in order to claim your tax back, and they are:
1. Each shop that is part of the tax-free shopping scheme will have a sticker indicating so in the window, look out for this sticker and shop in these stores.
2. Ask what the minimum spending amount is to qualify for the tax refund as this can change from shop to shop.
3. Once you've bought your items (ensuring that collectively they are worth over the minimum amount to qualify) and then request and fill in the tax refund cheque form.
4. When you get to customs on your way home, display your passport along with your completed tax refund check form.
5. There will be a tax refund office nearby in the airport, or if you are in a hurry, you can send your tax refund form off to the tax refund company via post and the full amount of tax you paid on your qualifying purchases will given to you in the form of a cheque or credited to your credit card. - 30244
