Bras should be exempt from VAT for “essential” health reasons – would you qualify?

ARBs are “essential” to women’s health and should not be subject to VAT, say radiologists.

The bra tax disproportionately affects women and could be considered discrimination under the Equality Act, the Society of Radiologists will argue during its three-day annual conference in Leeds.

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Diagnostic radiologists perform x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans.

They say musculoskeletal problems can be caused by ill-fitting bras.

“Although there may not be any health problems related to wearing a bra, there may be some musculoskeletal problems, especially if you wear a larger cup size,” the radiologists argue.

“Those who wear bras size D or larger tend to have back, shoulder and neck pain due to the weight of their breasts.

“Wearing a good-quality, well-fitting bra can alleviate some of these problems and reduce sick time for musculoskeletal problems.”

“Imposing VAT on bras disproportionately affects women. Taxing bras could be considered discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010.”

According to a survey published by the data collection website Statist as of December last year, the majority of women in the UK spent between £15-30 on bras in 2020.

Currently, only women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, such as mastectomy, partial mastectomy or mastectomy, are exempt from VAT when purchasing certain bras.

But radiologists 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 trousers was scrapped after brands, retailers, women’s groups and environmentalists campaigned for two years.

The so-called “tampon tax” was removed from other period products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups in 2021, but the 20% tax on period pants was retained because they were classified as articles of clothing.

A spokesperson for Her Majesty’s Treasury said Online mail any request for a VAT reduction must be seen in the context of more than £50 billion of VAT reduction requests that the Government has received since the EU referendum.

They added: “Bras worn by women recovering from breast cancer surgery are already exempt, but VAT applies to most goods and services, generating funding for the country’s public services.”

How an ill-fitting bra can affect your health

According to Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Portsmouth, a lack of breast support due to an ill-fitting bra can cause breast pain, reported by 50% of women.

Ill-fitting bras can also cause damage to the skin on your breasts, Dr. Wakefield-Scurr wrote in The conversation.

This often manifests “as stretch marks, caused by the skin stretching beyond the point of recovery,” he explained.

“Ill-fitting bras have also been linked to pain in the neck, back and shoulderspoor posture and rubbing and rubbing that lead to skin abrasions“, added the expert.

“We also see ill-fitting bras causing permanent changes to the body, such as grooves on the shoulders caused by pressure from bra straps.

“Lack of breast support and difficulty finding a bra that fits well has also been linked to a reluctance to exercisewith obvious long-term consequences.”