CUT THE VAT!
The Empty Homes Agency are part of the Cut the VAT Coalition which believes that reducing VAT from 17.5% to 5% for all maintenance and home improvement work would help the Government achieve its target of cutting carbon emissions by 60% by 2050.
It would also benefit millions of UK homeowners by getting rid of cowboy builders, helping those who cannot afford vital repairs to their homes, bringing our empty properties back into use and protecting the countryside.
The benefits in reducing VAT that will accrue for both society and business are many and varied and include at least nine convincing reasons to get VAT reduced.
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Cut The VAT Update - 20th May 2008
Cut the VAT Coalition we agreed to commission ComRes to survey some MPs for us on the issue of VAT. I am pleased to say that the results are now back and they are very positive!
Research
Between 21 April and 09 May, ComRes surveyed 168 MPs on the ComRes MP Panel using self-completion postal questionnaires. Data was weighted to reflect the exact composition of the House of Commons in terms of party representation and regional distribution.
ComRes asked MPs the following question:
“Do you support or oppose a reduction in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 5 per cent for building repair and maintenance work.”
Results
- 72 per cent of all MPs would support a reduction in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 5 per cent for building repair and maintenance work.
- 35 per cent of all MPs would “strongly” support a cut in VAT.
- The proposal is received with cross party enthusiasm, with 68 per cent of all Labour MPs, 65 per cent of all Conservative MPs and a massive 100 per cent of Liberal Democrat MPs supporting a cut in VAT.
- Indeed, fully 89 per cent of Liberal Democrat MPs “strongly” support a cut in VAT.
- 75 per cent of Scottish/Northern Irish MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 78 per cent of Welsh MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 72 per cent of English MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 79 per cent of female MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 71 per cent of male MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 86 per cent of London MPs support a cut in VAT.
- 72 per cent of MPs from the South of England support a cut in VAT.
- 67 per cent of MPs from the Midlands support a cut in VAT.
- 69 per cent of MPs from the North of England support a cut in VAT
- Only 4 per cent of MPs were strongly opposed to a cut in VAT with no MPs from either Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland being strongly opposed and only 5 per cent of MPs in England being strongly opposed.
Cut The VAT Update - 26th June 2008
Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs joined Cut the VAT campaigners to deliver the first 10,000 signatures to the Cut the VAT petition to the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, at 11 Downing Street on 26th June. The Campaign gained further momentum as the 100th MP signed the Early Day motion promoted by the campaign partners.
Click here for the press release