CALLS from the House of Lords Science Committee to alter the VAT system in favour of environmentally friendly businesses have been welcomed by a Leeds-based social entrepreneur.
Caroline Wherritt, chief executive of Re-Work Office Furniture, a social enterprise which sells recycled office furniture from its base in Hunslet, believes that the Government should use the tax system to make it more financially viable for people a
nd businesses to make positive environmental choices.
Caroline, 28, said "If we're going to really make a difference to the environment, we need to make it as easy as possible for people to buy recycled and refurbished goods.
"Our furniture is much cheaper than new furniture – but it would make it even more attractive to people if we didn't need to charge VAT. I think we add a lot of value as it is – and it would be good to be able to invest more into achieving our social aims instead of giving 17.5 per cent of every sale to the taxman."
Re-Work takes donations of office furniture from local businesses and other organisations, and sells them on at prices which are typically less than half that of new office furniture.
Caroline added: "As a social enterprise, the business is not privately owned – so it does not have shareholders who would directly benefit from any reduction in VAT.
Any money we make is re-invested into the business – to further our social aims."
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