Businesses and charities call for UK to scrap VAT on refurbished electronics

Refurbished electronics sold in the UK are generally subject to the same VAT rate as new electrical goods. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

Ministers are facing fresh calls to scrap VAT on all repaired and refurbished electronics, with businesses, charities and community groups arguing the move would help households cut costs and stop electrical goods being binned prematurely.

In a letter to the environment secretary, Steve Reed, the signatories say that removing VAT on repaired electronics should be part of a wider push to cut waste, extend the life of products and develop a “truly circular economy”.