Closed petition Make mental health treatment VAT exempt

Closed on 15 September 2021

Given the current mental health crisis, we want to improve access to mental health treatment by asking the government to make treatment through counselling and psychotherapy exempt from VAT. This would mean those seeking treatment privately would only pay the fee, without an additional 20% charge.

In this global pandemic, therapy waiting lists are long (up to 12 months in the NHS) and need is great. Yet private psychotherapy and counselling is not exempt from VAT, meaning that clients are charged the fee plus an additional 20%, making treatment unaffordable for many. The lack of exemption stops therapists from opening up slots to keep income under threshold, decreases patient access due to high fees and thwarts recovery and rehabilitation. (Psychotherapy is VAT exempt in Ireland).