Petition · past parliament · HM Treasury
Make mental health treatment VAT exempt
Closed
2,201 signatures
What the petition asks
Given the current mental health crisis, we want to improve access to mental health treatment by asking the government to make treatment through counselling and psychotherapy exempt from VAT. This would mean those seeking treatment privately would only pay the fee, without an additional 20% charge.
In this global pandemic, therapy waiting lists are long (up to 12 months in the NHS) and need is great. Yet private psychotherapy and counselling is not exempt from VAT, meaning that clients are charged the fee plus an additional 20%, making treatment unaffordable for many. The lack of exemption stops therapists from opening up slots to keep income under threshold, decreases patient access due to high fees and thwarts recovery and rehabilitation. (Psychotherapy is VAT exempt in Ireland).
Timeline
| 15 Mar 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 15 Sep 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
2,201
Status
Closed
Department
HM Treasury
Opened
15 Mar 2021
Closed
15 Sep 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.