To not understand the issue with 'tampon tax'?

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

Here me out. I will admit I don't understand it much and any insight would be great. I don't see an issue with a tax though.

I understand that things like razors and alcohol jellies (?) aren't taxed and I can see why that is annoying. We also don't choose to have periods so I get that argument too. Aren't they nasty to dispose of though? Wouldn't the tax just be paying those who are sorting through it all and disposing of it appropriately? Or am I being seriously thick?

I know I could go and do a google search and probably find answers but honestly, I'd rather ask on here as I'm lazy.

[RebelRogue]

Reusable pads and moon cups are available. Disposable products and unnecessary and not environmentallying friendly.

There's no way in hell I'd use reusable pads or mooncups,that makes disposable products necessary for me.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

What I don't get is why
Magazines are zero rated

Presumably to be in line with books? Although it would be nice if they could distinguish between say magazines about literature, history, music, science etc and porn.

[JacquesHammer]

Reusable pads and moon cups are available. Disposable products and unnecessary and not environmentallying friendly

Why is this utter crap ALWAYS trotter out on threads like these.

I can't use moon cups.

There is ONE brand of tampon that means I can get anywhere near a normal life when I'm on my period. And by normal I mean it gives me around 45 mins between needing a loo as opposed to 20 mins on other products. So yeah. Unnecessary.

Why is it some women can't give other women the opportunity to choose what is best for their own menstrual cycle.

[hibbledobble]

Reusable pads and moon cups are available. Disposable products and unnecessary and not environmentallying friendly.

[Mycarsmellsoflavender]

Also, toilet paper, which I would class as highly essential is taxed at the standard rate of 20%. People with bowel conditions which cause frequent diarrhoea may need more toilet paper than others. But they still pay the top rate. So maybe we should count ourselves lucky that menstrual products are only charged at 5%.

[Mycarsmellsoflavender]

Ha! Just seen the VAT = luxury tax untruth has been corrected umpteen times already yet some people are still spouting it mainly the people who think the OP is BU.

[Mycarsmellsoflavender]

Havent RTFT but have spotted some errors. Razors ARE taxed and at the full 20% rate unlike tampons which are taxed at 5%.

Also, Vat is not a luxury tax as so many people seem to believe. It is a tax on goods and services. Menstrual products are taxed at the lower rate of 5% along with other goods considered to be non- luxury items such as gas, electricity, mobility aids, children's car seats and nicotine patches to name a few.

What I don't get is why
Magazines are zero rated.

[lljkk]

VAT is charged on carseats, pushchairs & baby carriers, too. 5%, I think. Luxury or essential?

[pringlecat]

VAT is a consumer tax, but the rate does depend on whether it's a luxury or not. What defines a luxury has evolved over many years so nothing about VAT is intuitive. Like all taxes, it's a way of influencing spending, so it's a mess based on what previous politicians have wanted to do.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

VAT is changed on all 'luxury' items, i.e. not deemed essential

VAT is charged on clothes for adults. I think most people think clothes are essential. Even if you were to make all your own clothes you would still pay VAT on the materials.

Repeat and repeat. VAT is a consumer tax, not a luxury tax.

[Viviennemary]

I don't think they're a luxury item. But it would be better if people moved to a more eco friendly way. Like mooncups and such like.

[chantico]

"No VAT on fruit and veg for example"

That's a historic anomaly, and more recent accession countries - who have to sign on to the full regime - have VAT on all foodstuffs (as does Sweden, and various others). Because it's not a luxury tax. It's a consumption tax.

(And ariadne I think your tone is fine - given the difficulties of dealing with a much repeated myth)

[Aridane]

Sorry, Under - that was a bit bad-tempered of me. I don't want to be one of those posters

[Aridane]

Oh FFS - VAT is not a tax on luxury items - how many times have posters tried to explain this!

[Underparmummy]

VAT is changed on all 'luxury' items, i.e. not deemed essential. No VAT on fruit and veg for example. There is a biscuit/cake argument which is a whole other thing, jaffa cakes fall on the good side I believe.

I think deeming sanitary protection not essential and therefore subject to the 'luxury tax' of VAT is very shit, as do most people. I am struggling to see that there is even a debate here.

[raviolidreaming]

How does someone rinse out reusable pads if they are using public / work toilets with communal sinks? In front of everyone? Doesn't blood get all over the sink where people are washing their hands

Run it under cold water, wring it out, run again, wring it out again, pop in cloth bag, wipe down sink if there are any splashes and wash hands.

I can do it quicker than it takes someone to reapply their lipstick or brush their hair

Brittbugs80 maybe you didn't realise it but, to be fair to Cailleach666, you answered a specific question about rinsing out reusable pads in public / work toilets.

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

Sorry, I mis-read your comment slightly. What I meant by calling tampons luxury was that I was trying to figure out why they had a 'luxury' tax.. I was trying to figure out what the luxury but could mean, I figured that tampons are less needed (proved otherwise by posters experiences) and so I said they may be the reason for the word luxury.

I realise now that is all wrong. As I said in my comments I do not understand it all and I've chosen to ask questions so I can.

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

Because that's all I've ever seen. As said in my comments I keep get emails (that I have no I subscribed to) about it and they kept using the word 'luxury' tax. Now that I have been informed otherwise I won't refer to it as that.

Did you actually read all of my comments? If I hadn't mentioned why I was saying that then please let me know, as I do remember typing it and maybe it hasn't posted.

[grandOlejukeofYork]

If it was a 'luxury' tax then I'd probably be more angry

you were the one who told us that tampons were a luxury

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

under I'm definitely not. Why is asking a question the meaning of being a troll? I don't have any friends so I like to come on here to see people's opinions and views. If I had friends I would probably just talk to them. I'm tired of always googling so I asked on here. Again I am sorry and will keep my questions either to myself, google or have a nosey to see if it's been answered on here already.

People on here have already confirmed it's not a 'luxury' tax so that argument is invalid to be honest. The argument of being skint is something I cannot debate on because I know people are struggling (I'm one of them) and food etc has to come first, I just about manage but I buy pads on offer or from the pound shop using coppers so I get being broke but I'm obviously not broke enough to go without. Came close once mind when I was a few days away from payday and I had no money so I stole a packet from the pound shop to get me through. Not saying it's right, but needs must.

If it was a 'luxury' tax then I'd probably be more angry. I do wish there was a way for free pads for those who need and I've seen another poster mention the donated sections in supermarkets which starting from tomorrow I plan to always pop a pack of pads (even if cheap) when I am shopping. It's the least I could do and I hope more people join in.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

It's very sad - but what I find the most depressing aspect about this thread is the woeful lack of understanding of VAT

It is not as if hasn't been explained many times on similar threads.

[Underparmummy]

OP - you must be a daily mail troll?! I cannot explain this thread and your comments any other way.

As Caitlin Moran would say - DID YOU FORGET YOU HAD A VAGINA.

[pringlecat]

It sounds like the collective wisdom of Mumsnet is wear reusable pads, wash them in a unisex toilet shared by men and watch that glass ceiling get even tougher.

VAT is designed to tax luxuries at a higher rate. That's what it's such a weird tax and checking the rates in the legislation is such a pain. Is it in this list? That list? Other list? Ok, probably standard rated.

All sanitary ware is essential. It is hard enough being taken seriously as a woman without bleeding on everything and washing out cups of blood in front of male senior management.

The suggestion to ringfence the VAT collected from sanitary ware and give to women's charities would have been a good one - but our tampon tax is now being used to fund anti abortion groups.

[reallyanotherone]

I do have problems with women washing them and emptying mooncups in public hand basins

I have a problem having to practically sit on top of a bin full of used sanitary products to pee. Often it's overflowing or people cba to use it properly and there are tampons and pads half hanging out.

They are always so close to the loo as to be touching it. At least handbasins can be rinsed down so it's less likely to turn into a festering pit of decomposing blood and bacteria.

Massive plus to mooncups for me. No emptying bins full of other peoples bodily fluids.

[JammyTodger]

I've used reusables for the past few years and never had to rinse them out in the sink. They're highly absorbent so nothing to rinse away. Just fold them up until you can stick them in the washing machine. So much more pleasant than stinky disposables hanging around. Disposables create a massive amount of waste - they damn right should be taxed.