Built to last: Older homes

House Beautiful online 25.04.2008

How our campaign affects owners of older homes

house in street More than 7600 people so far have returned the Cut the VAT postcards from House Beautiful magazine or lodged their vote online at www.cutthevat.co.uk, calling for the Chancellor to reduce VAT to five per cent on maintenance and home improvement work.

At a special event at 11 Downing Street, House Beautiful Editor Julia Goodwin outlined our VAT case to Chancellor Alistair Darling and senior Treasury ministers and advisers. In response, the Chancellor issued this statement:
'I know that your readers want to improve their homes in any way possible. The Government has already reduced VAT on the installation of energy-saving materials such as draught insulation, and we are making
the case to our European partners for the introduction of a new VAT reduction on energy-efficient products and energy-saving materials. We are exploring what targeted and cost-effective VAT changes we could make to support the improvement of homes that are of too poor quality for people to rent or sell.'