Bras should be exempt from VAT for ‘essential’ health reasons – would you qualify?

BRAS are "essential" to women's health and should not be subject to VAT, radiographers say.

Tax on bras disproportionately affects women and could be considered discrimination under the Equality Act, the Society of Radiographers will argue during its three-day annual conference in Leeds.

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Diagnostic radiographers carry out X-rays, MRI and CT scans.

They say musculoskeletal problems could be caused by poorly-fitted bras.

"While there may not be any health conditions related to wearing a bra, there could be some musculoskeletal ones, particularly if you wear a larger cup size," radiographers are set to argue

"Those who are wearing a bra size D or above often get backaches, aching shoulders and neck pain, because of the weight of their breasts.

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"Wearing a good-quality, well-fitted bra could alleviate some of these issues, and reduce time off sick for musculoskeletal issues."

"The imposition of VAT on bras disproportionately affects women. Taxing bras could be considered discriminatory as per the Equality Act 2010."

According to a survey published by data gathering website in December last year, most women in the UK spent between £15-30 on a bra in 2020.

Currently only women who have had breast cancer surgery such as a mastectomy, partial mastectomy or lumpectomy are exempt from VAT when buying certain bras.

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But radiographers are expected to compare bras to menstrual products in terms of their necessity, meaning they should be excluded from the tax.

In January, VAT on period pants was scrapped after brands, retailers, women's groups and environmentalists campaigned for two years.

The so-called "tampon tax" was dropped from other period products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups in 2021, but 20 per cent tax on period pants was kept because they were classified as garments.

An HM Treasury spokesman told any request for a new VAT relief should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT the Government has received since the EU referendum.

They added: "Bras worn by women recovering from breast-cancer surgery are already exempt but VAT does apply to most goods and services, generating funding for the country's public services."

How a badly fitting bra can impact your health

According to Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, a Professor of Biomechanics, University of Portsmouth, lack of breast support from a poorly fitting bra can lead to breast pain, which is reported by 50 per cent of women.

Badly-fitting bras can also lead to breast skin damage, Dr Wakefield-Scurr wrote in .

This usually manifests "as stretch marks, caused by stretching the skin beyond its recovery point", she explained.

"Ill-fitting bras have also been associated with , bad posture, and rubbing and chafing leading to ," the expert added.

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"We also see ill-fitting bras causing permanent changes to the body, such as deep  caused by pressure from the bra shoulder straps.

"The lack of breast support and the difficulty in finding a well-fitting bra has also been linked to a , with obvious long-term consequences."