Take Action: #HackTheVAT

The UK has one of the highest rates of VAT on ticketing in the world, quadruple the rate in France, and double the rate in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Spain. No other advanced music economy in the world taxes entry to events so highly. This means that less of the money you pay to see your favourite artists or support new and emerging acts goes into the pockets of the artists, crew and venues than almost anywhere else in the world.

Music Venue Trust has been asking the UK Government for 8 years to change this policy and bring the UK into line with other music nations. But on 1 April 2022, HM Government plans to return the VAT rate back to where it was before Covid. We think that’s the wrong thing to do and we’ve told the Secretary of State for Culture Nadine Dorries exactly why.

But we don’t need to wait for the government to listen to music fans, artists, venues or Music Venue Trust. We can all do something about it RIGHT NOW.

Until 31 March, the rate will remain at the reduced rate of 12.5%. From 1 April 2022, HM Government will reimpose a 20% VAT rate on tickets to see live acts at your local venue.

This means that if you buy a £10 ticket NOW (and up until midnight on 31 March) the government receives £1.11 and the venue, artist, crew, promoter, production gets £8.89. From 1 minute past midnight on 1 April 2022, the government will receive £1.67 from your £10 ticket and everyone involved in presenting that show just £8.33.

If you think that 56p difference should be going to the people who made the show happen and not the government, then you can take direct action to make that happen. Every £10 you spend on advanced tickets before the end of 31 March is worth more to the whole live music sector than the ticket you buy afterwards. 56p more. On an audience of 200 people, that’s an extra £112 to support the artists, the crew, promoter, staff and venue.

So please… take action. Buy an advanced ticket now. When the government won’t act to support the music we love, you can. #HackTheVAT and put the money where it belongs.