Footballer Saved By Defibrillator Campaigns To Scrap ‘Heart Restart Tax’

A student whose life was saved by a defibrillator when he collapsed in Husbands Bosworth is leading a campaign to get tax on the life-saving devices scrapped.

Jack Hurley, 20, suffered a cardiac arrest while warming up for a North Kilworth FC game last June.

Fellow players performed CPR and used a defibrillator to re-start his heart, which had been installed at the club house just a few weeks before.

Jack Hurley

Jack from Claybrooke Magna wants the government to abolish the VAT – dubbed the heart restart tax – so more community groups and charities can afford to install them.

Over 78,000 people have so-far signed his on-line petition , including several MPs.

VAT charges add between £200 and £500 to the cost of defibrillators.

Jack spoke to HFM:

Jack Hurley when in hospital

Jack was airlifted to hospital following the incident but was discharged a week later and soon back playing football.

He has had a subcutaneous defibrillator fitted – a device which automatically shocks his heart if it stops, also used by footballers Christian Eriksen and Tom Lockyer.

Jack has been made patron of charity AED Donate which places defibrillators in communities and donated one to him, which has been placed on the side of his family’s house.

Chief Executive Jamie Richards told HFM why scrapping VAT would make such a difference:

A Government spokesperson told HFM: “We take the safety of the public seriously and provide several VAT reliefs to help organisations buy defibrillators and other first aid equipment.

“In addition, we are currently inviting community organisations to bid for funding as part of a £1 million grant scheme that expands public access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), particularly in public places where they are most needed.”

Support the petition HERE