Tax is something we all have to pay on more or less every purchase we ever make. It is what fuels our economy and gives our government money so that they can run the country.

So tax is what makes our economy and more or less the whole capitalist system work by giving the government a slice of the profit from every transaction made in a store and every persons wage packet.

However, despite the fact that tax and its benefits are more or less what separates our country from the less economically developed countries and it allows the country to be run in a way that benefits everyone, but even so, at the end of the day, it is our hard earned money that’s being taken away from us, so aren’t we at least entitled to a little groan about it once in a while?

However if you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK (or one of the other qualifying countries within the EU) then there is a scheme in place that allows you to claim back tax that you pay on purchases from certain stores.

There are 5 steps you should take in order for you to claim back your tax, and they are:

1. Look out for the sticker in store windows indicating that they are part of the tax free shopping scheme.

2. Check the minimum purchase amount in order to qualify for a tax refund (this can vary from shop to shop)

3. Request and fill out the tax refund cheque form.

4. When you show customs your passport on your way out of the country, show them your completed tax refund cheque form.

5. Either go to the tax refund office in the airport to claim your money back, or you can send the form off in the post and receive the money in cheque form or have it credited to your credit card.