Ministers from the Treasury have vowed to “look further into” reducing or Zero Rating VAT on professional pilot course fees. The move follows pressure from pro-aviation campaigners. It is estimated that VAT on flight training costs student pilots more than 20,000, raising the overall cost to over 120,000.
The commitment followed a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation (APPG-GA) with Exchequer Minister, Robert Jenrick MP. It was welcomed by the APPG-GA chair, Grant Shapps MP, who said: “This commitment from the Minister is an important step in the right direction.” He said pilot training was like no other form of education as students had to pay VAT on top of course fees.
APPG-GA tax and regulation spokesperson Charles Henry said: “The Minister’s serious consideration on this issue is long overdue, but still a significant shift in the Government’s position. “Changes to VAT on flight training will help lead to a reversal in the falling number of students training to be pilots in the UK.” The APPG-GA will be writing to all UK based training schools asking them to participate in the Aviation 2050 Green paper consultation, to ensure that the Government receives adequate evidence to base any future decisions on.
