--- title: VAT Refund Scheme for Museums & Galleries description: Museums and Galleries are being urged to apply for VAT refunds to support opening free of charge as part of plans to boost visitor numbers. image: https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/vat%20for%20museums%20and%20galleries.webp --- [![Shorts_logo_White](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/New%20Site%202018/Shorts_logo_White.svg "Shorts_logo_White")](https://www.shorts.uk.com/) [Blogs & News](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/) > [VAT](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/vat) # VAT Refund Scheme for Museums & Galleries Lynne Gill - 8 September 2022 ###### Select topic - Please Select - [ Audit ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/audit) [ Business Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/business-taxes) [ Radius – R&D Tax Relief & Patent Box ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/radius-rd-tax-relief-patent-box) [ Corporate Finance ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/corporate-finance) [ GENUS Management Accounts ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/genus-management-accounts) [ VAT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/vat) [ Private Client ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client) [ Payroll ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/payroll) [ EOT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/eot) [ International Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/international-taxes) ![featured image](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/vat%20for%20museums%20and%20galleries.webp) Museums and Galleries are being urged to apply for VAT refunds to support opening free of charge as part of plans to boost visitor numbers and give more people access to arts and culture. The VAT Refund Scheme, which has been running since 2001, was last open to new applicants in 2019 and it has been estimated that almost £1 billion has been refunded to museums and galleries since it was launched. The Scheme re-opens for new applicants this autumn. - [Read more: What is VAT?](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/what-is-vat) ## How does the VAT Refund Scheme work? Under normal VAT rules, VAT paid by museums and galleries on goods and services that relate to free admission would not be able to be reclaimed. A museum or gallery open to the public free of charge for 30 hours a week, and which meets certain other conditions, can apply for the VAT Refund Scheme. Those museums and galleries whose applications are successful will be entitled to a refund on VAT incurred on goods and services purchased to provide free admission to collections including: - The items and collections on display  - goods and services necessary for their upkeep.   - upkeep of the part of the building (including common areas) in which they are housed. - Information, advertising, and promotional material in relation to them. Museums and galleries which are considering putting on exhibitions for free, as well as institutions already eligible but not currently taking advantage of the scheme are encouraged to apply. ## How can we help? The [VAT Advisory Team at Shorts](https://www.shorts.uk.com/vat-advisory-services/) can provide information on the detailed conditions which must be met to apply, how to apply and how to obtain refunds if you are not VAT registered. ### Related VAT resources and guides - [VAT services for charities](https://www.shorts.uk.com/vat-advisory-services/vat-charity/) - [Get a free review of your VAT return](https://www.shorts.uk.com/vat-advisory-services/free-vat-return-review/) - [VAT reliefs for charities, a comprehensive guide](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-reliefs-for-charities) ![author](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/ZT_cPBSU-1-1.jpeg) #### Lynne Gill My area of expertise is land and property transactions but I have extensive knowledge of both domestic and international VAT and I love complex VAT queries. I have an Honours degree in Business Studies and a VAT legal and technical qualification from the Institute of Indirect Taxation. [View my articles](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/author/lynne-gill) Tags: [VAT](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/vat) Share this on - - - [Questions? Get in touch with us](https://www.shorts.uk.com/contact/) ###### Tax Saving Guide 2026-27 Written especially for entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses, this guide is full of planning ideas and tax risks to avoid. [ Download now ](https://info.shorts.uk.com/en-gb/tax-saving-guide) ![Tax saving guide 2026-27](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tax%20saving%20guide%202024.jpg?width=375&height=465&name=Tax%20saving%20guide%202024.jpg) ###### Related articles ##### [VAT Fuel Scale charges – 2024/25](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-fuel-scale-charges-2024/25) ##### [VAT on repairs, fuel and other motoring expenses](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-on-repairs-fuel-and-other-motoring-expenses) ##### [VAT on Subsistence Costs: Full Breakdown and Definitions](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-on-subsistence-costs) ##### [Opportunity for Non-VAT Registered Ambulance Providers](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/non-vat-registered-ambulance-providers) ###### Latest articles [A case of aggressive tax avoidance: Glasgow Rangers Football Club](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/aggressive-tax-avoidance-affect-you) [What is VAT? - Complete Guide (Updated for 2025/26)](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/what-is-vat) [Ashgate Hospice Sparkle Night Walk 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/ashgate-hospice-sparkle-night-walk-2026) [Stocktaking guide for UK businesses](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/stocktaking-guide-for-uk-businesses) [Supporting the Chatsworth Cascade for future generations](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/supporting-the-chatsworth-cascade-for-future-generations) [Deal of the Year win at Insider Dealmakers Awards 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/deal-of-the-year-win-at-insider-dealmakers-awards-2026) [Football shirt Wednesday: Backing England in style](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/football-shirt-wednesday-backing-england-in-style) [Understanding lifetime trusts: the basics](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/understanding-lifetime-trusts-the-basics) [Close company directors face new HMRC detail requirements in 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/close-company-directors-face-new-hmrc-detail-requirements-in-2026) [Shorts advise Harris Irwin Architects on successful growth funding.](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/shorts-advise-harris-irwin-architects-on-successful-growth-funding) #### About Us Use this little footer to reinforce your message about who you are and why people love working with you. And since this is a global module, you only have to edit it once to make the changes across every page it appears on. [Learn More [fa icon="long-arrow-right"]](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) #### More Links #### Contact Us [fa icon="phone"]   [fa icon="envelope"]  [yourname@company.com](mailto:yourname@company.com) [fa icon="home"]  Cedar House, 63 Napier Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S11 8HN, | 2 Ashgate Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 4AA | (0114) 2671617 / (01246) 559955 [[fa icon="facebook-square"]Facebook](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) [[fa icon="linkedin-square"]Linkedin](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) [[fa icon="twitter-square"]Twitter](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) [[fa icon="pinterest-square"]Pinterest](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) Copyright 2026 | Designed with [fa icon="heart"] by [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com) [[fa icon="chevron-up"]Back to top](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries#) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Lynne Gill", "url" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/author/lynne-gill" }, "dateModified" : "2022-09-08T08:07:15.875Z", "datePublished" : "2022-09-08T08:07:15.000Z", "headline" : "VAT Refund Scheme for Museums & Galleries", "image" : [ "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/vat%20for%20museums%20and%20galleries.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/vat-refund-scheme-museums-galleries", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/2018%20Shorts%20logo%20with%20transparent%20background%20.png" }, "name" : "Shorts" } } ```