A skin cancer survivor has vowed to keep campaigning until the Government removes VAT from sunscreen, arguing that prevention would save lives and reduce NHS costs. Jessica Zbinden-Webster was diagnosed with the disease at 26 after a lesion turned out to be a tumour. Following an operation to remove it, which involved cutting out one of her lower eyelids while she was awake, a skin graft, and four ocular surgeries, she is now cancer-free.
Rising incidence of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK, and statistics show it is on the rise. Cancer Research UK states that since the early 1990s, melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have increased by 164%.
Ms Zbinden-Webster says that up to 90% of skin cancer cases could be prevented with sunscreen use. Despite this, a 20% VAT rate is charged on the products, adding around £1.50 to the cost of an average bottle.
Campaign to Downing Street
The Londoner has been campaigning for several years to get successive governments to remove this tax. She will take her petition, which has nearly 100,000 signatures, to Downing Street on Monday.
She said: “This disease is avoidable in the majority of cases just by using sunscreen regularly. And yet, sunscreen is classed as a cosmetic product and, is subject to a heavier tax levy than the likes of Jaffa Cakes.
“This not only makes sunscreen less affordable in a cost-of-living crisis, but sends a damaging message about the importance of sun safety to our public health.”
NHS costs and political support
She says Britons are being taxed at both ends of the crisis - first through having to pay 20% VAT on sunscreen and then on taxes which go towards the NHS to treat the cancer which could have been prevented if sunscreen had been used.
The 34-year-old says the NHS spends more than £2m every day treating skin cancer, a cost which would be reduced if there were fewer cases of the disease. Ms Zbinden-Webster has support from MPs across the political spectrum on this issue. A report by a cross-party inquiry in May backed her campaign, and said that UV overexposure is a preventable public health crisis.
She is hopeful that Andy Burnham’s Government will agree to the change. She said: “My message to him and the Treasury would be that prevention is better than cure. Prevention is cheaper than cure, and prevention is kinder than cure.
“I'm hoping that between me handing my petition in on Monday and the Budget this autumn, the Treasury officials will have knocked their heads together and realised that we can't go on taxing preventative healthcare.
“Our skin cancer crisis is out of control, and this government must be the government to fix it.”
A Government spokesperson said: “As part of our 10-year plan to reform the health service, and through a national cancer plan, we will fight cancer on all fronts, from prevention to diagnosis, treatment, and research.
“High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and is already provided VAT-free when dispensed by a pharmacist to these patients.”
