Claiming A Tax Refund
Any person visiting the UK or a few other surrounding countries is entitled to shop with tax-free discount at the shops that take part in the tax free scheme. Shops that participate in this scheme usually have the tax free logo outside to let passers by know. In order to be eligible for the tax free scheme, you must be a resident of a country outside the EU and a visitor to the UK, this is why many people like coming to the UK to shop for goods at heavily discounted prices.
You can claim the tax you’ve paid on your purchases back only when you spend a minimum amount in a participating shop. This minimum amount varies from shop to shop and from country to country. When you’ve made your purchases and spent at least the minimum amount to qualify for your tax refund, you will have to get your tax-free cheque stamped at customs on your way out of the country. Once you have had it stamped and approved there are many ways for you to claim your tax back, many people have the refund credited to a card or directly to their bank account.
Shopping in the UK has never been so opportunistic for people from outside the EU, so if you are from outside the EU and are planning a trip to the UK, you should be sure to allow space in your luggage to keep items that you have bought in tax free shops separate from your other goods.
Claiming your tax back is very simple, when in the tax free shop in the UK, you should ask the shop assistant for a tax free cheque (after having spent the minimum amount of course) and then when you go through customs before leaving the UK, you should get the cheque stamped by the customs officer for approval, and then upon arriving at your destination airport, you should show your stamped refund cheque along with your passport and credit card to get the full amount of tax you paid credited back to your card or to your bank account.
The tax free shopping scheme is a facility available to tourists from various countries outside the EU when they visit either the UK or one of the other participating countries.