VAT REFUND - UK

[martincymru]

It's not clear to me after reading the blurb if I may claim VAT back.
https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping

Details:
UK citizen.
Travel to UK May 1-15th. 2015
Return to UK June 1-15th 2016.

Has anyone living in Sg ever claimed back the Vat paid on goods bought whilst on holiday in UK?

[the lynx]

It's not clear to me after reading the blurb if I may claim VAT back.
https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping

Details:
UK citizen.
Travel to UK May 1-15th. 2015
Return to UK June 1-15th 2016.

Has anyone living in Sg ever claimed back the Vat paid on goods bought whilst on holiday in UK?

Yes. My understanding is that you must not be a citizen or a resident in UK. My friend who used to hold an employment visa in UK many years ago (now working in Singapore), also got denied from claiming VAT because apparently the immigration doesn't update the fact that she is no longer working in UK. She still gets pulled over to interrogation room each time she visits UK over her "previous employment record in UK" even though her employer, a reputable MNC, already terminated her visa through proper means when she was transferred from London to Singapore for work.

[Barnsley]

I have had VAT refunded from European shopping trips .....

If you want the hard cash the queue is massive at Heathrow Airport, give yourself another 2hrs at least for check in if you are going down this route.

If you go for Credit Card reimbursement it will take you 5 minutes max .....

Refund to Credit card in a couple of weeks.

Its up to you!!

[Primrose Hill]

I get my VAT Refund back whenever I shop in UK. No problems other than the queue.

[JR8]

Yep I have. As Lynx suggests you just have to prove you're legally resident in Singapore.

It was always a pleasure visiting home, and getting to claim the VAT refund. At 17.5%, it was worthwhile figuring out how to do it.

[singapore eagle]

Another Brit here who has successfully claimed VAT back at a UK airport. Just make sure you have proof of residence in Singapore - e.g. employment pass, blue IC.

By the way, the big queue tends to be for HMRC customs (who have to stamp the VAT reclaim form). One tip is to pack the item you are reclaiming VAT on into your hand luggage, proceed through security, and go to the airside HMRC counter. There's normally no queue here and I have never previously had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seen to. If you try to get the stamp landside before check-in, you can be waiting for hours.

[martincymru]

OK but I thought you need to prove you will remain outside the UK for 12 months + after you claim the vat back ?

How on earth you do this is another matter.

[Barnsley]

Another Brit here who has successfully claimed VAT back at a UK airport. Just make sure you have proof of residence in Singapore - e.g. employment pass, blue IC.

By the way, the big queue tends to be for HMRC customs (who have to stamp the VAT reclaim form). One tip is to pack the item you are reclaiming VAT on into your hand luggage, proceed through security, and go to the airside HMRC counter. There's normally no queue here and I have never previously had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seen to. If you try to get the stamp landside before check-in, you can be waiting for hours.

Thanks for the Info.....

I had only seen the landside queue

[singapore eagle]

Another Brit here who has successfully claimed VAT back at a UK airport. Just make sure you have proof of residence in Singapore - e.g. employment pass, blue IC.

By the way, the big queue tends to be for HMRC customs (who have to stamp the VAT reclaim form). One tip is to pack the item you are reclaiming VAT on into your hand luggage, proceed through security, and go to the airside HMRC counter. There's normally no queue here and I have never previously had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seen to. If you try to get the stamp landside before check-in, you can be waiting for hours.

Thanks for the Info.....

I had only seen the landside queue

No worries. Just don't tell too many people!

[Barnsley]

OK but I thought you need to prove you will remain outside the UK for 12 months + after you claim the vat back ?

How on earth you do this is another matter.

How would they prove you wont be?

[JR8]

One tip is to pack the item you are reclaiming VAT on into your hand luggage, proceed through security, and go to the airside HMRC counter. There's normally no queue here and I have never previously had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seen to. If you try to get the stamp landside before check-in, you can be waiting for hours.

Yeah, this is what I always did, and I was quite painless.

In fact I didn't realise you could do the process 'street-side' too, and hence get the goods into hold luggage.

That was always a thing, what ever you bought duty-free to take with you, you knew you had to take on the plane as hand-luggage, as your tax-refund got signed off by customs, after immigration. So that was a limiter on your shopping volume/weight. My experience of this goes back to say c2005 and before. So I'm sure things have changed, as perhaps with the street-side clearance mentioned...

[QRM]

Another tip is to inform the staff that hang around the Q that you will be late for your flight, (They will check your ticket) and you can be fast tracked through the the system.

I reckon they do it on purpose, how many times have I looked at the Q and just gave up claiming the VAT its a a bit of a scam. Places like Japan you can to the reclaim in the shop itself. there again everyone is more honest, otherwise you can buy all the stuff for your mates who live in the UK VAT free.

[martincymru]

1. Where can I obtain a pdf copy of Form 407? (I would like see in advance what details are required from the customer and perhaps fill them in ready).

2. Will the shop impose any admin charge? If so how much?

[singapore eagle]

1. The retailer will give you a form, quite often in the form of an extra part to the till receipt. You only have to fill in basic details like name, address, passport no, arrival date, departure date.

2. Most retailers use an agent to process the refund (Premier Tax Free, Global Blue). They have refund calculators on their websites - e.g. http://www.globalblue.com/customer-serv ... alculator/. Generally speaking, the less you spend the more of the 20% goes to the agent as an admin charge.

[martincymru]

Opened the link: Global Blue

300.00 (say) = GBP 34.50 refund

But the vat is 20% = 60 GBP !

So they take a cut of more than 40%. Cannot be serious?

Anyone advise more advantageous way ?