Take-away Food: VAT
Commons · Question 643 · Tabled 13 May 2026 · Treasury · Official record
Answered 20 May 2026
Question
Asked by Chris Coghlan
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the current 20% VAT rate on independent hot food retailers; and if she will consider aligning the VAT treatment of hot takeaway food with that of cold takeaway foo
Answer
Answered by Dan Tomlinson, 20 May 2026
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK's second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Hot takeaway food is subject to the 20 per cent standard rate of ...