§ Baroness Greengrossasked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a person assessed as needing a hip protector to protect them from the risk of fracture is entitled to receive one free of charge from the National Health Service equipment service. [HL3388]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner):Hip protectors may be provided as part of social services community care packages, or by a local falls prevention service, or to residents of care homes. In all cases the criteria for provision should relate to the needs of the assessed individual. Such equipment is free to the user if provided by the National Health Service and, since June 2003, has also been provided without charge by councils to users that meet their fair access to care services criteria. A resident of a care home may have a hip protector provided by the home or a statutory service, depending on the type of residents for which the care home caters, the circumstances of the case, and local agreements.
§ Baroness Greengrossasked Her Majesty's Government: Whether hip protectors are VAT exempt; and, if not, whether they have any plans to make them exempt. [HL3387]
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§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey):Hip protectors are subject to VAT at the standard rate and do not fall into any of the wide-ranging zero rates that the UK maintains for equipment designed for the sole use of disabled people or for medical aids.
However, hip protectors are free when provided by the NHS and, since June 2003, without charge by councils to users that meet their fair access to care services (FACS) criteria. Protectors may similarly be provided as part of a social services community care package.