Double Reed Ltd. is pleased to supply its instruments under the Assisted Instruments Purchase Scheme (AIPS) anywhere in the UK. The AIPS applies to both new and secondhand instruments, although it doesn't normally apply to instruments sold for commission*. The AIPS allows VAT-free purchase of musical instruments for students receiving music education/tuition by Local Education Authorities (LEAs) or LEA schools, when certain criteria are met. Each LEA and/or school runs its own AIPS in conformance with the regulations set out by HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs), and is able to set its own further criteria and restrictions when offering the scheme to its students. We suggest that you speak to your school music department, your music tutor or your LEA's music services department at the earliest opportunity when you are looking for an instrument. If your LEA/school offers this service, in broad terms it works in the following way:

• The LEA/school verifies that you are receiving tuition for the relevant musical instrument from the LEA/school (you do not necessarily need to be a pupil of an LEA school - you could, for example, be a private school pupil who is a member of an LEA-run county youth orchestra);
• The student selects the instrument he/she wishes to purchase from the retailer of his/her choice;
• The LEA/school liaises with the chosen retailer regarding the chosen instrument and places an order for the instrument;
• The retailer sends the instrument to the LEA/school and invoices the LEA/school for the full amount including VAT;
• The LEA/school deducts the VAT and sells the instrument to the pupil for the net amount excluding VAT;
• The school claims the VAT back from HMRC.

The AIPS will always enable you to save a substantial amount of money when purchasing a bassoon from us. However, owing to the complexities of VAT it won't be possible for you to work out exactly how much you will save by just looking at the prices quoted on our web site. Therefore, please ask us for a quotation before asking your LEA/school to purchase an instrument on your behalf.

* It is often assumed that secondhand instruments are always sold on commission and therefore aren't eligible under the AIPS. However, any instrument, old or new, is eligible for purchase under the AIPS under HMRC rules as long as it is not sold on commission. Very few of our instruments are sold on commission (we always state clearly when an instrument is sold on commission) therefore almost all of our instruments are eligible for purchase under AIPS.

For information on why Double Reed Ltd. is a good company from which to buy bassoons, click here:
Why Buy a Secondhand Bassoon from Double Reed Ltd?