Govt must stop profiting from PPE for care home staff

Following reports that the government is still collecting VAT on personal protective equipment for care homes, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"VAT on PPE should be the same for care homes as for the NHS. Care homes look after some of our society's most vulnerable people and with the pressure of the coronavirus on care homes, the very least Ministers should do is to relieve them of this burden.

"Throughout this crisis the Liberal Democrats have been clear that staff in the care sector are just as desperate for adequate personal protective equipment as NHS staff.

"It cannot be right that the Government profits from care homes desperate to protect their staff and those who they look after, let alone leaving some wondering whether they can afford to continue.

"There are too many workers on the front line looking after seriously ill people without proper protective equipment. Not removing VAT on PPE for care home staff now would be a huge mistake, adding to the government's failure to overhaul its approach to PPE given the crisis our frontline workers are facing."