As things stand you pay no tax on masks and other PPE, but that exemption is about to end - costing families up to £94 each.
Rishi Sunak suspended VAT charges on PPE on 1 May, and is currently refusing to extend it beyond the end of this month.
Labour described the move as hitting Britons with a “mask tax” last night.
And adding the 20% tax to items currently required by law on public transport, inside shops and in other locations will add to struggling families' bills at the worst possible time.
Shadow treasury minister James Murray hit said: “It’s unbelievable that the Government wants to introduce a mask tax in the middle of a pandemic.
“With Covid-19 cases on the rise across the country, the government should be doing all it can to help people follow its own guidance to wear a mask, not ramping up the cost of buying one."
The tax exemption costs the Treasury £85million a month as things stand.
Removing it will cost a family of four using disposable masks an extra £94 over the next six months, Labour worked out.
A Treasury spokesman said: “Our temporary zero-rate of VAT on PPE was designed to help sectors that cannot recover VAT on such goods due to their VAT exempt status, such as care homes.
“Health have committed in the Winter Plan to provide free PPE for Covid-19 need to adult social care until March 2021 through their stockpile, ensuring a stable supply of PPE. The temporary zero-rate on PPE is therefore no longer required.
“The relief was to ensure front line workers got the protection they needed and that remains our priority.”
But Labour has rejected this reasoning.
“Families across the country are already struggling financially as a result of the crisis. The last thing they need is to be penalised for doing the right thing,” Murray said.
A recent poll by YouGov found three in 10 used disposable masks. A box of 20 single use face masks from Boots costs £12.99.
