0% VAT - seller requesting personal details from me for HMRC. Is this correct?

[RolyPolierThanThou]

I have just paid for an item that (buried somewhat in the item description) is sold at 0% VAT for those who are eligible (i.e. people with a disability). I hadn't realised this at the time of purchasing/paying. I had to go back and check in the listing.

Anyway, it would seem the item as been despatched and now the seller is requesting personal details from me. They want me to tell them who the item is for - name, date of birth and diagnosed disability (diabetes, dementia etc) and that they need this for HMRC.

The item is, in fact for me (and I do not have a disability). I could lie and claim it is for my grandmother (who is 95 and would, conceivably, have use for this item, too) but I'd really rather pay the VAT that I would owe on this item. And as far as I know, my grandmother and her condition are not in any HMRC database, anyway, so I don't know what use this list would be to them.

Does anyone know anything about this requirement to provide HMRC with details of who something was bought for?! I could send it back ad ask for a refund, but I'd rather keep the item (than take myself back to the post office and have the cost of sending back something I want to keep).

Is there a way for me to pay the VAT myself? What should I do?

Why not just message the seller and tell them you're not VAT exempt in regards to the item and then see what they suggest?

no of course you don't have to give a stranger such personal info. He is talking utter rubbish.

Actually, in order to zero rate the supplier should obtain evidence from the purchaser that she would be covered by the zero rating provisions, so it's not unreasonable for the supplier. If you are not eligible to receive the item at the zero rate of vat, then you should make them aware of this.

The supplier should be able to issue an invoice for the vat element.

And no, HMRC won't have a database of all the people eligible - they will just want evidence that the seller has checked the status of the purchaser.

Thank you all. I think my best bet is to offer to pay the vat to the seller and hope thet accept that as a solution.

Why? You don't need to pay them anything?

Yes she does. If she's bought an item that's VAT exempt for disabled people, and the OP doesn't have a disability, then she needs to pay the VAT.

To be fair to the OP the ad for the item should have given all the information on the sellers information about the item,I'd check if the seller is registered himself before payment is made.

Was it an auction or a buy it now price?

If it was an auction they can't charge you anymore so will have to bear the VAT cost themselves. If it was a BIN they should have checked before giving you the price to pay so still not sure they have much of a leg to stand on asking you to pay more now.
I'd just tell them you don't qualify for zero VAT and put the ball back in thier court, unless the listin states it was only for those who qualify