question about VAT on bras

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know exactly what the VAT situation is - does it apply only to specialist bras? I live somewhere that has very little choice as far as mx bras are concerned and the main independent department store has always given me VAT off any bra I buy from them regardless of whether it’s an mx one or not and seemed to think that this was something that should be available wherever I shopped.

I am now such a tiny size that pretty much none of the major specialist manufacturers cater for me, so the dept store fitter said that I should try the local M&S for some non-wired full cup bras as they would most likely stock sizes that would fit. This is a small branch of M&S and they don’t carry any mx bras at all. The nearest store that sells them is almost 90 miles away. Even though they can’t have many women asking for the VAT to be discounted on ordinary bras and they don’t stock mx bras, they were adamant that I wasn’t entitled to claim it.

As a result I’m a bit confused. Is it only mx bras or not???

Nymeria

My understanding is that Mx bras are “medical apparel”.

Ordinary bras are just…bras. AFAIK.

MX bras are a disabilty living aid!!!
My M&S is also small and doesnt stock MX bras… I was told that there wasnt enough floor space for them!.. and then just a few months later they managed to find the space to put in a cafe!I wouldnt mind if the town needed a cafe but we are a seaside resort and every other shop is a cafe!.. I can get a coffee everywhere but not a bra!

I think what’s confused me is that the dept store has always given me the discount on any type of bra which is why I asked at M&S. I didn’t make a fuss about it as I needed the bras anyway.

However I do think it was a bit mean of them not to waive the VAT when they don’t carry any mx bras at all.

Hi

Just checked the HMRC info only MX Bras & Swimwear are zero-rated any other isn’t.

Oh Charlotte I know exactly what you mean as I live in a resort too. Our M&S has also just opened a cafe and yet the high street is full of them! The one thing I will say about M&S is that the fitters there are lovely, very helpful and considerate. She spent an hour finding something to fit that worked with my prosthesis.

Nymeria x

Thanks SimplesL - at least I know for sure now. :slight_smile:

I suppose to them, it’s like this following scenario:

Man goes into Woolworth’s for a walking stick. They don’t sell them, so he buys a pair of socks instead.
“I will wear them while out walking with my gammy leg, so can I have the VAT back like I would for a stick?” he asked.

“I think what’s confused me is that the dept store has always given me the discount on any type of bra”

Lucky you! Where is it? Good service should be rewarded with more customers

my overall M&S experiance was not good… when i couldnt get what i wanted at home we went to exeter the lady in M&S there was very abrupt with me telling me off for trying to be fitted for a bra at only 5 weeks post op… I explained that i was having my prosthesis fitted the next week and the letter said i should bring the bra with me to make sure they fitted the new boob right!.. and then they didnt have what i wanted in my size! I know i could have gone online but as a first bra i wanted to make sure it fitted!, ended up going to the Bath store paying £30 for two and then £20 for the fine for driving in a bus lane!

It’s Banburys in Barnstaple - I don’t think there are many of us here who will be beating a path to their door as North Devon is quite a long way from ‘civilization!’ :smiley:

I have actually just sent them an email thanking them for their good service. So often people only get in touch to complain, so I try to make a point of saying thank you when I can. I’ll be doing the same for the lovely fitter at M&S as discount or not, she was so helpful.

Nymeria x

Hi Charlotte,

The fitter in Barnstaple told me that the store at Cribbs Causeway now has one of the largest selection of mx bras in the country, so I’m considering making a special trip there to see if they can help. I know we can order online and have them delivered to the local store but it is such a palaver when you don’t know what size you need.

So which M&S do stock them then? I went to a large city centre branch and the fitter (very helpful otherwise) said ‘not here’.

Good question RevCat! Sadly it does seem to be luck of the draw as even some larger stores don’t always stock them. I can sort of understand a very small store like mine not doing so but I’ve been in a couple of much bigger ones and they didn’t either. There doesn’t seem much logic to it at all.

I bought M&S “post surgery” bras from a large M&S between Brighton and Worthing. They had a tag on about reclaiming the VAT. I got the discount at the cash desk. The assistant didn’t know about it, but followed the instructions. We got there!

Most stores (apart from M&S) don’t give a refund of VAT because they claim that VAT has not been added in the first place. Impossible to prove since they charge whatever they choose to charge anyway.

It’s been added if the manufacturer is VAT registered; they just can’t be arsed to work it out.
I got the VAT taken off my wig; just had to fill in a declaration in the shop. I hadn’t lost my hair by then but the fact that I cried when I went into the shop was evidence enough for them!

me again moaning about M&S…
when i got my bras the lady on the till didnt know about the vat thing i had to tell her then of she went to make sure and then she pressed some buttons on the till and i got my vat off at 17%… I couldnt be bother to point out that vat was now 20%

If she gave you 17% off the VAT-added price, then that’s similar to having 20% added to the pre-VAT price.

100 plus 20% VAT is 120.
120 minus 20% isn’t 100, it’s 96.
120 minus 17% is 99.60 so that’s close.

Is that what you meant by giving you 17% off it?

hang on dont give me maths home work… i might just cry… no what i meant was the fact that VAT changed to 20% but they hadnt updated that in their system or what ever…