A VAT levy on lifesaving defibrillators should be scrapped, councillors have said.

Great Harwood councillors Noordad Aziz and Bernadette Parkinson have called on the government to abolish VAT on the devices.

HM treasury said that under current EU law, the UK cannot change the VAT rating on defibrillators.

Defibrillators are used to deliver an electric shock to restart a patient's heart when they are in cardiac arrest.

And the Great Harwood councillors are behind a motion demanding no VAT on defibrillators.

The motion to Hyndburn Council was passed and received unanimous support from all sides of the council chambers.

It is a tribute to the work the Philip Maher Foundation has undertaken in Great Harwood, Hyndburn and Lancashire in providing public accessible community defibrillators.

Stuart Maher set up the foundation in 2015 after his father Phillip Maher died age 62 after collapsing during a football match.

Cllr Noordad Aziz said: ‘It’s our duty to champion this organisation based in our town and see if it can work in a way that can bring benefit to them and our residents.

"I think it’s a very important issue that we have asked the government to look at and address, as medical equipment in my opinion is a necessity and not a luxury.

"I therefore am strongly of the opinion that it should be VAT free."

Cllr Bernadette Parkinson said: "I am delighted to support the Philip Maher foundation through this motion as the potential cost savings from removing VAT on defibrillators will lead to organisation like this being able to provide more community defibrillators and thereby potentially saving lives."

Stuart Maher, director of the Philip Maher Foundation said that VAT on defibrillators is an 'extra burden for an organisation like ours'

He said: "If there was no VAT, we could have provided an additional two defibrillators in the community.

"I hope this campaign is successful and the government takes steps to remove VAT on all medical equipment especially defibrillators."

A standard rate of VAT (20 per cent) is applied to most goods and services, and while there are some exceptions, these are strictly limited by international and domestic law.

There are a number of tax reliefs available for charities purchasing defibrillators.

If a defibrillator is purchased by a charity and then donated to an NHS body or a charitable institution, the supply to the charity can be zero rated.

A HM Treasury spokesman said “Under current EU law, the UK cannot change the VAT rating on defibrillators.

"However, many charities that purchase defibrillators can benefit from the over £3.8bn we spend each year in tax reliefs for charities and their donors.”