Tax Refunds For UK Shopping

By Liam McGulliver Fletcher

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK, mainly London, then if you shop in the right places, you can claim any tax back that you pay on purchases. There are many shops located all around the city that display the tax free sign to let you know that they take part in the scheme.

The VAT on purchases made in the UK is around 15% and you can claim it back if you have spent at least the minimum amount which usually varies from shop to shop. Residents from outside the UK can claim back tax on purchases that they have made in participating stores and the minimum amount is usually around 30. When you're leaving the country, you need to get your tax refund cheque stamped by the customs officer for it to be valid.

Shopping has never been more opportunistic because you can get the refund of all the value added tax that you are paying. This facility or rather luxury is available only while traveling abroad because these are a few benefits that you can enjoy and are privileged to as a foreign tourist. If you export these purchases you are eligible to claim the VAT immediately by asking the staff in the store for a refund cheque while you are making the payment for your purchases.

When you show your purchases, the receipts and passports in the Customs department at the time of departure, you can get your refund cheque stamped. There are numerous refund offices across the globe who can very swiftly arrange for a refund straight to your credit card or in certain cases, they may give you cash. However, there might be slight variations depending on the locations, so one is advised to go through the details clearly and get the entire benefit of shopping tax free.

There are many shops across the entire city of London and outside it which have logos displayed that read 'Tax Free' and you can approach those shops for in order to take advantage of the tax free shopping. - 30244

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here