No — since 1 January 2021 US tourists can no longer claim a VAT refund on shopping in England, Scotland or Wales. The UK withdrew the VAT Retail Export Scheme from Great Britain when the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020, and it has not been reinstated as of September 2026. You can still buy VAT-free in Great Britain only if the shop ships your purchase straight to an address outside the UK.
Plenty of older guides — and some store signs abroad — still describe tax-free forms, airport refund desks and cash-back counters. This guide explains what changed, how much VAT you are actually paying, and the few legal ways to avoid it, including the separate rules in Northern Ireland and in the EU if your trip continues to Europe.
Short answer: no tourist VAT refund in Great Britain
If you shop in London, Edinburgh or Cardiff and carry your purchases home in your luggage, the VAT stays in the price. There is no form to fill in at the till and nothing to claim at the airport. HMRC confirmed this in Revenue and Customs Brief 21/2020, published on 11 December 2020, which announced the “withdrawal of ‘airside’ tax-free shopping in the UK and the VAT Retail Export Scheme (VAT RES) from Great Britain (GB)” from the end of the transition period.
As of September 2026 neither scheme has been brought back. So when you budget for a UK trip, treat shelf prices as final: what you see on the tag is what you pay.
What changed in 2021
Until the end of 2020, visitors from outside the EU could ask a participating shop for a VAT refund form, show the goods and the form to customs when leaving, and get the VAT back. Airports also offered airside tax-free shopping.
Both disappeared in Great Britain on 31 December 2020. Two things survived in a different form:
- Shipping abroad: a shop in Great Britain can still sell you goods without VAT if it delivers them directly to an address outside the UK.
- Northern Ireland: it still has a tourist VAT refund scheme (see below).
How much VAT is in the price
Prices in UK shops always include VAT, so there is no tax added at the register the way US sales tax is. At the standard rate of 20%, VAT makes up one-sixth of the price you pay. For example, a £500 cashmere coat includes £83.33 of VAT — which you only avoid if the shop ships the coat directly to your US address.
Handy rule of thumb: divide a standard-rated price by six to see the VAT inside it. It is a useful number when you compare a UK price with the same item at home, together with the exchange rate — see our guide to exchanging money in the UK.
The legal way to buy VAT-free: have the shop ship it abroad
GOV.UK is explicit: “You can only buy tax-free goods from shops in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) if they’re delivered straight to an address outside the UK.” In practice this works best for larger purchases from shops that already handle international delivery.
- The goods must go straight from the shop to your US address — you cannot take them with you and still skip the VAT.
- Some department stores can ship your purchase straight to a US address, which is the only way to buy VAT-free in Great Britain — ask the store before you pay, and check what it charges for shipping.
Compare the saving with the shipping cost. On a £500 item the VAT is £83.33; if international shipping costs more than that, carrying the item home is still cheaper.
Northern Ireland is different
Northern Ireland still runs a tourist VAT refund scheme. According to GOV.UK guidance on claiming VAT back in Northern Ireland, you can use it if you are an overseas visitor whose home is “outside both Northern Ireland and the EU”. The key conditions:
- “Not all shops offer tax-free shopping. Check before you buy the goods.”
- You must “take the goods out of Northern Ireland and the EU by the last day of the third month after the month you bought them.”
- Your refund form must be “checked and stamped before you leave Northern Ireland and the EU for your home country.”
If you shop in Belfast and fly home via London, read the GOV.UK conditions carefully before you buy, because the rules are built around leaving Northern Ireland and the EU, not Great Britain.
Travelling on to the EU?
If your trip continues to France, Ireland or another EU country, you can use that country’s tourist VAT refund system for purchases made there. The EU’s official Your Europe portal says: “If you are resident outside the EU you are entitled to a VAT refund on goods you have bought during your stay in the EU if the goods are shown to customs on departure within 3 months of their purchase together with the VAT refund documents.”
The process is not the same everywhere: Your Europe notes that it “is not harmonised at EU level” and that some countries set a minimum purchase value. Claims must be validated by customs before you leave the EU. Purchases made in England, Scotland or Wales cannot be added to an EU claim.
Myths from old guides
If a blog post, forum thread or even a shop assistant tells you any of the following about Great Britain, it is describing the scheme that ended on 31 December 2020:
- “Ask for a tax-free form at the till” — shops in Great Britain no longer issue VAT refund forms to tourists.
- “Get your refund at the airport desk after security” — there are no tourist VAT refund counters at airports in Great Britain.
- “Spend at least £30–£50 per store to qualify” — minimum spends belonged to the old scheme.
- “Export the goods within three months” — that deadline was part of the old scheme (it still applies in Northern Ireland and the EU).
- “Keep the tags on for customs inspection” — there is no VAT refund inspection when you leave Great Britain.
What still matters when you leave: normal customs rules for what you bring into the UK and take home. See our UK customs guide, and for everyday spending, our guide to tipping in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a VAT refund at Heathrow?
No. There are no tourist VAT refund desks at Heathrow or any other airport in Great Britain: the VAT Retail Export Scheme was withdrawn from Great Britain at the end of 2020.
Is airport shopping still tax-free in the UK?
Not for VAT. The UK withdrew “airside” tax-free shopping together with the VAT Retail Export Scheme when the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020, so there is no VAT to reclaim on airport purchases.
Can a shop ship my purchase to the US VAT-free?
Yes, if the shop offers that service. GOV.UK says you can only buy tax-free goods from shops in Great Britain if they are delivered straight to an address outside the UK. Ask the store before you pay.
Does Northern Ireland still refund VAT to tourists?
Yes, a scheme still exists there. You must live outside both Northern Ireland and the EU, buy from a shop that offers tax-free shopping, and have your form checked and stamped before you leave Northern Ireland and the EU. The full conditions are on GOV.UK.
How much VAT is in a £500 purchase?
£83.33. UK shelf prices include VAT at the standard rate of 20%, so VAT is one-sixth of the price you pay.
Last updated: 27 September 2026. Sources: HMRC Revenue and Customs Brief 21/2020, GOV.UK: Tax-free shopping, GOV.UK: Claim VAT back on tax-free shopping in Northern Ireland, Your Europe: VAT refunds for non-EU visitors.