Originally published at: Dear Andy Burnham - The Restart Project
The UK has a new Prime Minister and a new cabinet. So what does this mean for repair and reuse? And what about the long-awaited Circular Economy Growth Plan?
Will Burnham break the deadlock?
While it’s too early to say for sure, here’s what we do know…
Despite widespread support from the public, community groups, businesses and MPs, for repair and reuse, the Circular Economy Growth Plan came up against road blocks with the last Prime Minister’s office and Treasury because of concerns about the cost of living. Of course we know that one of the main benefits of Circular Economy policies is that they can help lower the cost of living for people.
Given that cost of living is a core priority for Andy Burnham, we can assume the same reservations will remain. But this may also represent an opportunity to correct any misconceptions and highlight specific policies we’ve been calling for that can help save people money and support local businesses at the same time.
So we’ve written to the new Prime Minister and asked him to introduce two of the policies from our Repair and Reuse Declaration: Cutting VAT on repairs and funding Repair Vouchers.
Our letter to the Prime Minister
Andy Burnham
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London, SW1A 2AA
24th July 2026
Dear Prime Minister,
Cc. John Healey MP, HM Treasury, Angela Eagle MP, DEFRA
Congratulations on your recent appointment as Prime Minister. We are writing in regards to your immediate goal to put money back in people’s pockets.
The Restart Project is a charity that works with partners to understand barriers and advocate for solutions to repair and reuse. We recommend two specific policies, backed by over 150 MPs, which could provide rapid relief on the cost of living, while boosting businesses and benefiting the environment.
Alongside partners in repair and reuse industries, and with the community repair movement across the UK, we have developed the Repair and Reuse Declaration. The measures we advocate have the support of over 150 of your colleagues in Parliament.
One of the areas of focus is on reducing the cost of repair. This will provide access to repair for more individuals whilst reducing the cost of living, will encourage more businesses to offer repair services and support the thriving device refurbishment and resale industries to grow. Policies that would support this include:
- Zero VAT on repair services, and spare parts: A huge range of businesses, from manufacturers, to spare parts providers, to independent repair businesses state that cutting VAT on repairs would enable their repair services to thrive. Households across the UK will benefit immediately from cheaper repairs when their items have broken. VAT cuts on repairs are supported by 80% of the British public.1
- Funding for Repair Vouchers: Our recent trial of repair vouchers for electrical products in North London engaged audiences across demographics, with particular support from young people, and almost 60% of vouchers supporting people on low incomes. Supporting all regions of the UK to offer repair vouchers to their residents provides a way for these benefits to be rolled out across the country. Repair vouchers are supported by 79% of the British public.1
These measures, alongside other policies to support a circular economy, enjoy broad support from the public, businesses and politicians.
- The British public wants longer lived products: In Green Alliance polling from 2025, 83% of Brits and 86% of 2024 Labour voters agreed that throwaway culture is a big problem in the UK. 72% of Brits feel frustrated with the short lifespan of products.2
- Businesses and NGOs support circular economy policies: A broad alliance of household name businesses and institutions have signed a series of letters to your predecessor and previous DEFRA ministers, calling for policies to support repair and reuse. Signatories include Currys, the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, Beko, Hotpoint, Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, Veolia, Back Market, the Design Council, Green Alliance and community repair cafes across the UK.3
- Almost a quarter of MPs back circular economy policies: 157 cross party MPs have now signed the Repair and Reuse Declaration, which includes calls for VAT reduction and repair vouchers to reduce the cost of repair. More than 90 MPs attended a repair cafe that we hosted in Parliament with Back Market on 25th March 2026.
Reducing the cost of repair is a simple and popular way to cut the cost of living for the British public. This could be a way to swiftly demonstrate your government’s commitment to ending the throwaway economy whilst tackling the cost of living. These policies should be part of a broader package of measures, which we look forward to seeing in the release of the long awaited Circular Economy Growth Plan.
We and our partners would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and members of the relevant departments to discuss these measures.
Yours sincerely,
Fiona Dear
UK Co-Director
The Restart Project
___________
1 The poll was commissioned by The Restart Project. All figures are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,051 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th – 13th October 2023. Survey carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
2 Voter Opinion on the Circular Economy, Green Alliance 2025
3 Letter to Sir Keir Starmer: 8th July 2024; Letter to Rt Hon Steve Reed: 4th July 2025; Letter to Sir Keir Starmer calling for release of Circular Economy Growth Plan: 27th April 2026.
What next?
MPs are now on summer recess, so we don’t expect many significant developments for the next month. But there will be more to come and we’re already planning ways to get involved when MPs return to Parliament in September.
In the meantime, you can check whether your MP has already signed the Repair and Reuse Declaration. And if they haven’t, use our tool to ask them!