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What goods and services are zero-rated for VAT?

Answered 11 March 2026

What Goods and Services Are Zero-Rated for VAT?


What the law says

The legal basis for zero-rating is section 30 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (VATA 1994). Under s.30(1), where a taxable person supplies zero-rated goods or services, no VAT is charged on the supply, but it is in all other respects treated as a taxable supply — the rate is treated as nil.

The core rule is in s.30(2): a supply is zero-rated if the goods or services are of a description specified in Schedule 8 to VATA 1994, or the supply itself is of a description so specified.

Schedule 8 groups include (as evidenced by the sources):

Group Category
Group 3 Books, etc. (including printed matter)
Group 4 Talking books for the blind and disabled; wireless sets for the blind
Group 5 Construction of buildings for relevant charitable purpose; first grant of a major interest in such buildings
Group 8 Sea rescue equipment (supply to charities, and repair/maintenance)
Group 12 Drugs, medicines, and aids for disabled people;
Group 15 Certain goods and services supplied by/to charities or with charitable funds
Group 22 Supplies between free zone businesses of free zone procedure goods and related services

Additionally, s.30(2A) zero-rates a supply of services where a person applies a treatment or process to another's goods and thereby produces goods that are themselves zero-rated under Schedule 8.

Exports are also zero-rated under s.30(6) where HMRC is satisfied the supplier has exported the goods or shipped them as stores for a voyage or flight.

The Treasury has the power under s.30(4) to vary Schedule 8 by order — adding, deleting, or varying descriptions.

Certain construction services relating to specific building types are also zero-rated under VATA 1994 s.55A.


HMRC guidance / practice

HMRC confirms that the zero rate (0%) applies to goods and services listed in Schedule 8 to the VAT Act, with key practical examples including food, books, and passenger transport. Further examples given by HMRC include children's clothes.

HMRC highlights the following specific zero-rated categories in its guidance:

  • Food
  • Books and printed matter (Group 3, with a caveat that books supplied in connection with a separate supply of services by a different supplier are excluded from zero-rating)
  • Passenger transport — including scheduled flights, journeys to/from outside the UK, and most UK transport in vehicles with a carrying capacity of 10 or more people
  • Water and sewerage services (certain supplies)
  • Drugs and medicines dispensed by a pharmacist or doctor in certain circumstances
  • Aids for disabled people, including assistive technology systems
  • Advertising supplied to charities and goods donated to a charity for sale
  • Construction services on certain building types (e.g. new residential builds), though certain goods such as white goods, carpets, and domestic electrical appliances are excluded from zero-rating even when supplied as part of zero-rated construction services
  • Freight transport and export arrangements

HMRC notes that although no VAT is charged on zero-rated supplies, any input tax incurred in making those supplies is recoverable — unlike exempt supplies. Businesses whose activities are wholly zero-rated are also able to register for VAT.

⚠️ Note: Schedule 8 contains many detailed Groups with specific conditions, exclusions, and notes. The above is a summary of the main categories evidenced in the available sources. For a comprehensive list, HMRC directs users to VAT Notice 700 (the VAT Guide) and the relevant specialist VAT Notices (e.g. 744A for passenger transport, 744B for freight).


Citation sources

1 GUIDANCE
Place of supply of services (VAT Notice 741A)

You can zero rate the supply of the making of arrangements for: the export of any goods a supply of services which is itself zero-rated as work on goods for export from the UK any supply of services which is made outside the UK Zero rating under these provisions only applies to the actual making of arrangements for eligible supplies. It does not extend to services which simply facilitate supplies. For more information see: The VAT treatment of passenger transport (VAT Notice 744A) Freight transp

HMRC guidance
2 GUIDANCE
Health professionals and pharmaceutical products (VAT Notice 701/57)

If you provide medical treatment that is exempt from VAT, any charge that you make for bandages, drugs, medicines or prostheses, administered or applied to your patient in the course of the treatment is also exempt. Any items that are separable from the treatment (such as privately dispensed drugs supplied for self administration by a patient, for example, for overseas travel purposes) are not exempt from VAT, and will usually be standard-rated. Read sections ‘3.3 Contraceptive products’ and ‘3.

HMRC guidance
3 LEGISLATION
Finance Act 2011

Part 6 Other taxes Value added tax Zero-rating: splitting of supplies 75 1 In Part 2 of Schedule 8 to VATA 1994 (zero-rating: groups), Group 3 (books, etc ) is amended as follows. 2 For “ Note : Items 1 to 6—” substitute— Notes 1 Items 1 to 6— . 3 At the end insert— 2 Items 1 to 6 do not include goods in circumstances where— a the supply of the goods is connected with a supply of services, and b those connected supplies are made by different suppliers. 3 For the purposes of Note (2) a supply of

Primary legislation
4 GUIDANCE
VAT guide (VAT Notice 700)

Guidance manual VAT Water and Sewerage Services explains which supplies of water and sewerage services are zero-rated and which are standard-rated.

HMRC guidance
5 LEGISLATION
The Free Zones (Customs, Excise and Value Added Tax) Regulations 2021

e Finance Act 1994 to this part 85F 1 The provisions of Part 1, Chapter 2 (appeals and penalties) of the Finance Act 1994 (“FA 1994”) apply in relation to contraventions of any requirements imposed by or under regulations 85B, C or D with the following modifications. 2 A contravention referred to in paragraph (1) is to be treated as a default falling within section 12(2) FA 1994 (assessments). 3 A decision whether or not and in which respects any person is to be or is to continue to be approved

Secondary legislation
6 GUIDANCE
Travel agents (VAT Notice 709/6)

If you act as the initial intermediary in arranging zero-rated passenger transport then your services of arranging it are also zero-rated. Zero-rated passenger transport includes: scheduled flights journeys from a place within to a place outside the UK and vice versa most UK transport in vehicles with a carrying capacity of not less than 10 people Further information can be found in The VAT treatment of passenger transport (VAT Notice 744A). However, see paragraph 2.6 if you are not the initial

HMRC guidance
7 GUIDANCE
How VAT affects charities (VAT Notice 701/1)

This is the rate of VAT (0%), liable on supplies of certain goods and services, for example, food and children’s clothes. For more information on what goods and services are zero-rated see the VAT guide (VAT Notice 700). Although no VAT is charged on these supplies, any input tax incurred by a charity in the making of zero-rated supplies is recoverable. Unlike exempt activities, charities (and any other business), whose business activities are wholly zero-rated, are able to register for VAT.

HMRC guidance
8 GUIDANCE
How VAT affects charities (VAT Notice 701/1)

These are goods and services that are standard-rated, reduced-rated or zero-rated when sold by a business, which could include a charity, that’s registered for VAT: the standard rate is charged on most goods and services the reduced rate is charged on goods and services listed in Schedule 7A to the VAT Act, examples include children’s car seats and domestic fuel and power the zero rate applies to goods and services listed in Schedule 8 to the VAT Act, examples include food, books and passenger t

HMRC guidance
9 LEGISLATION
The Value Added Tax (Drugs and Medicines) Order 2014

Citation, commencement and effect 1 1 This Order may be cited as the Value Added Tax (Drugs and Medicines) Order 2014. 2 This Order comes into force on 21st May 2014 and has effect in relation to supplies made on or after that date. Amendment of Group 12 of Schedule 8 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994 2 In Group 12 of Schedule 8 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (zero-rating: drugs, medicines, aids for the handicapped, etc. ), in Note (2B)— a after paragraph (f), insert— fa a physiotherapist indepen

Secondary legislation
10 MANUAL
Scope of the construction reverse charge: Zero-rated supplies

Supplies of construction in relation to certain types of buildings are zero-rated (VCONST02000), and are excluded from the reverse charge by VAT Act 1994 s55A as there is no VAT to account for. There are no special invoicing considerations in relation to the construction reverse charge where there is a zero-rated supply of construction services reported within the CIS. Goods excluded from zero-rating Certain goods (including white goods, carpets, and domestic electrical or gas appliances other t

HMRC guidance
11 GUIDANCE
VAT guide (VAT Notice 700)

Some supplies made by or to charities are zero-rated, some are reduced-rated, some are standard-rated and some exempt. For example: advertising supplied to charities — zero-rated, read Goods or services supplied to charities (VAT Notice 701/58) goods donated to a charity for sale by them — zero-rated For more information read How VAT affects charities (VAT Notice 701/1).

HMRC guidance
12 GUIDANCE
Reliefs from VAT for disabled and older people (VAT Notice 701/7)

Computer devices and systems are increasingly being used as aids to disability. Most are general use products which may be useful for disabled people but are designed to be used by disabled and non-disabled people alike. These include: desktops laptops tablets smartphones e-readers Such products can only be bought VAT free when they’re sold as part of an assistive technology system. Assistive technology involves the pre-installation of specialist software which is specifically required by the di

HMRC guidance
13 LEGISLATION
The Value Added Tax (Drugs and Medicines) Order 2020

Citation, commencement, effect and revocation 1 1 This Order may be cited as the Value Added Tax (Drugs and Medicines) Order 2020 and (subject as follows) comes into force on 1st April 2020. 2 Article 2— a comes into force on 1st April 2020, and b has effect in relation to supplies made on or after 1st April 2020 but before IP completion day (and, accordingly, paragraph (ca) inserted by article 2 is repealed, and article 2 of this Order is revoked, on IP completion day). 3 Article 3— a comes int

Secondary legislation
14 GUIDANCE
How VAT affects charities (VAT Notice 701/1)

Because of the diversity of activities undertaken by charities it is not possible to list every relevant section of legislation. The areas of legislation offering specific reliefs to charities are as follows. The Value Added Tax Act 1994 Section 29A reduce rates goods and services listed in Schedule 7A to the Act. The supply to charities of fuel and power in buildings used by charities for non-business purposes is reduced-rated under Group 1 of Schedule 7A. The Value Added Tax Act 1994 Section 3

HMRC guidance
15 LEGISLATION
Value Added Tax Act 1994

Part II Reliefs, exemptions and repayments Reliefs etc. generally available Zero-rating. 30 1 Where a taxable person supplies goods or services and the supply is zero-rated, then, whether or not VAT would be chargeable on the supply apart from this section— a no VAT shall be charged on the supply; but b it shall in all other respects be treated as a taxable supply; and accordingly the rate at which VAT is treated as charged on the supply shall be nil. 2 A supply of goods or services is zero-rate

Primary legislation