Home / Health / Sunscreen VAT: A Health Crisis?
Sunscreen VAT: A Health Crisis?
23 Aug
Summary
- Up to 90% of skin cancer cases could be prevented with sunscreen.
- A 20% VAT rate on sunscreen adds £1.50 to an average bottle's cost.
- The NHS spends over £2m daily treating skin cancer cases.
A campaign is underway to eliminate the 20% VAT on sunscreen, with advocates arguing it hinders affordability and public health messaging. Ms. Zbinden-Webster highlights that up to 90% of skin cancer cases are preventable with sunscreen, but the added VAT cost, approximately £1.50 per bottle, is a significant barrier, especially during a cost-of-living crisis.
This financial burden is seen as contradictory to public health goals. The NHS faces substantial costs, reportedly exceeding £2 million daily, for treating skin cancer. Reducing cases through accessible sun protection could alleviate this financial strain. Support for the campaign is bipartisan, with a recent cross-party inquiry report labeling UV overexposure as a preventable public health crisis.
Advocates are hopeful for a government policy change, emphasizing that prevention is more cost-effective and compassionate than cure. While high-factor sunscreen is available on NHS prescription for certain conditions and VAT-free for those patients, the broader public faces the tax. The government states its commitment to fighting cancer through prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research as part of its 10-year health service reform plan.
