Why should the Government exempt factor 30+ sunscreen from VAT?
86% of cases of melanoma skin cancer can be prevented by adopting simple sun protection measures such as using factor 30+ sunscreen.
There are more than 16,000 cases in the UK each year and rates are increasing-we need to do more to prevent cases of melanoma.
67% of people find the cost of sunscreen high and would use it more if it was 20% cheaper.
1 in 10 people are not using sunscreen because it is too expensive.
Factor 30+ sunscreen should be viewed as an essential healthcare item and not as a luxury cosmetic.
High factor sunscreens that are marketed as sunscreens can already be exempt from VAT-style taxes in Australia and several states in the US, making them more affordable
We are asking the Government to make this policy change alongside a national awareness campaign about sun protection. With the impact of climate change meaning increasing temperatures in the UK, this measure is becoming increasingly urgent.
GET INVOLVED- Write to your MP
You can help us by emailing your MP to ask them to support the campaign.
You can find out your MP and their email address by typing in your postcode here.
Some suggested text for your email is below. Please add why melanoma prevention is important to you. Also, make sure you include your full address and postcode in your email, so your MP knows you are a constituent.
If you do write, thank you. We’d like to know if they respond as we may be able to follow up with them. You can forward us any response you receive to Policy@melanomafocus.org.
Template letter to send to your MP
Suggested subject line: VAT Burn – make sunscreen affordable to fight skin cancer
Dear [MP NAME],
As one of your constituents [add your address], I am writing to ask you to support the VAT Burn campaign, which calls for factor 30+ sunscreen to be exempt from VAT. This will make this essential healthcare item more affordable for all and reduce cases of melanoma skin cancer.
[ADD IN YOUR OWN WORDS WHY THIS CAMPAIGN IS IMPORTANT TO YOU]
86% of cases of melanoma skin cancer can be prevented by adopting simple sun protection measures including wearing factor 30+ sunscreen. Yet melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer in the UK, with more than 16,000 cases and causing 2000 deaths per year – and rates are increasing.
New research by the charity Melanoma Focus shows that many people find the cost of sunscreen prohibitively high. With the current cost of living crisis deepening, cost is likely to deter increasing numbers of people from buying sunscreen. Independent polling conducted in early 2023 showed that half (50%) of people in the UK think sunscreen is too expensive, 10% don’t use it at all because of the cost, and that 67% of all respondents would use it more if it was 20% cheaper.
This could also be combined with a Government-backed awareness campaign, similar to the successful ‘Slip, Slop, Slap!’ campaign run by the Australian Government. With the impact of climate change meaning increasing temperatures in the UK, this measure is becoming increasingly urgent.
As my MP, you can support this effort by writing to the Treasury to ask them to consider the case for a VAT exemption on sunscreen, which will save lives and reduce pressure on the NHS. You can also support the campaign on social media using the handle @focusonmelanoma and hashtag #VATBurn.
With these simple measures, we can save more lives from skin cancer.
Yours sincerely,
[Constituent name]