Tim Farron

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale

@timfarron https://facebook.com/timfarronmp

VAT Rate

There have been votes in Parliament on the rate at which Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged.

Photo: HM Treasury

Tim Farron almost always voted for increasing the rate of VAT

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TheyWorkForYou has calculated this MP’s stance based on votes we have grouped on this topic. Learn more.

You can browse the source data on PublicWhip.org.uk. We are in the process of moving away from using the PublicWhip and there may be some discrepancies between the two sites.

Major votes

Minor votes

  • On 18 May 2022: Tim Farron voted to express support for a broad swathe of policies put forward by the leader of the Liberal Democrats. The policies in question were: providing more help to unpaid carers; tackling issues in education relating to special educational needs or disability; supporting pupils impacted by the pandemic; doing more in respect of the cost of living; cutting VAT from 20 to 17.5%; tackling violence against women and girls; providing sanctuary to refugees fleeing war and persecution; tackling the shortage of GPs and dentists; tackling longer ambulance waiting times; restoring the target of 0.7% of Gross National Income for aid, and not cutting the armed forces. Show vote
  • On 11 Jan 2022: Tim Farron voted in favour of cutting VAT on household energy bills. Show vote
  • On 25 Jun 2019: Tim Farron voted not to exclude wind and water turbines from a special reduced rate of VAT applying to the supply and installation of energy-saving materials in residential accommodation. Show vote
  • On 26 Oct 2015: Tim Farron was absent for a vote on Finance Bill 2015-16 — Third Reading Show vote
  • On 21 Jul 2015: Tim Farron was absent for a vote on Finance Bill 2015-16 — Decline Second Reading Show vote
  • On 21 Jul 2015: Tim Farron voted against the measures in the Finance Bill including against an increase in the income tax personal allowance, and against capping the rates of VAT and income tax at their existing rates until the next general election. Show vote
  • On 14 Jul 2015: Tim Farron voted against the Summer 2015 budget which, among other measures, increased the minimum wage, replaced student maintenance grants with loans and cut tax credits. Show vote
  • On 5 Sep 2012: Tim Farron voted against introducing a tax on bankers' bonuses to fund 25,000 additional affordable homes, against making planned investment sooner, against reducing VAT on home improvements and against calling on the Government to create jobs. Show vote
  • On 5 Sep 2012: Tim Farron voted to levy a tax on bankers' bonuses to fund 25,000 affordable homes, to invest in infrastructure, to cut VAT on works on homes. Show vote
  • On 17 May 2012: Tim Farron voted against measures to stimulate economic growth and job creation; against a tax on bank bonuses to fund guaranteed jobs for young people out of work for over a year; against reducing VAT; against a tax break for small firms taking on extra workers and against making infrastructure investment sooner. Show vote
  • On 17 May 2012: Tim Farron voted against creating jobs; a tax on bank bonuses to fund guaranteed jobs for young people out of work for a year; a VAT cut; a tax break for small firms taking on more workers and making infrastructure investment sooner. Show vote
  • On 16 May 2012: Tim Farron voted against reducing public transport fares, and against reducing VAT on fuel to help motorists and boost the economy. Show vote
  • On 11 Jan 2012: Tim Farron voted against a series of measures aimed at making energy bills more affordable, including extending benefits, reforming the energy market, reducing VAT on home improvements and reforming the Green Deal scheme. Show vote
  • On 14 Dec 2011: Tim Farron voted against creating 100,000 jobs and building 25,000 homes using funds raised via a bank bonus tax, against reducing VAT on home improvements and against tax breaks for small firms taking on new workers. Show vote
  • On 23 Nov 2011: Tim Farron voted against starting long-term investment projects sooner, against reducing VAT on home improvements and repairs, and against giving a tax break to small companies employing new workers. Show vote
  • On 9 Nov 2011: Tim Farron voted against introducing a tax on bank bonuses to guarantee a job for 100,000 young people and build 25,000 affordable homes; against making investment sooner; against reducing VAT, and against a tax break for small firms taking on extra workers. Show vote
  • On 12 Oct 2011: Tim Farron was absent for a vote on Opposition Day — Jobs and Growth Show vote
  • On 22 Jun 2011: Tim Farron was absent for a vote on Opposition Day — The Economy Show vote
  • On 13 Jul 2010: Tim Farron voted against exempting charities' charitable activities from the January 2011 increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20%. Show vote
  • On 13 Jul 2010: Tim Farron voted against delaying the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% by a year from 4 January 2011 to the 4 January 2012 if a report on the effects of the VAT rise had not been completed. Show vote

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