In this document we explain the benefits of the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme (AIPS) to students, parents and schools and how it can make a big difference to all concerned.

What is the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme? (AIPS)
The Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme (AIPS) allows a parent or guardian to purchase a musical instrument for a student without paying VAT, ensuring valuable savings off an already reduced price, leading to a huge discount off the RRP. The school purchases the Instrument from us and then sell this instrument on to the parent or student excluding the VAT.

What are the requirements to be eligible for the scheme?
Changes in the 1994 VAT Regulations enabled school pupils to purchase musical instruments free of VAT. The procedure for this scheme has been approved by HM Customs & Excise and was reviewed in September 1994 by the VAT office.
To comply with the Customs & Excise rules the following criteria music be satisfied:

• The pupil must be in full-time education at a Local Education Authority School
• The pupil must either be receiving tuition at the school as part of their curriculum or receiving private tuition in support of a curricular activity such as GCSE music
• The instrument must be appropriate for the pupil’s needs
• The instrument must be portable (e.g. no pianos unless its a portable stage piano)
• The instrument must be purchased via the school and passed on to the pupil on the school/music centre premises

You can access the Government website details - HERE

How Do I Know The Price Of The Instrument?
Rimmers Music will provide the instrument prices to the student/parents directly and we can help advise the best item for you, if required. All prices can be viewed on our website Excl VAT, by simply changing the "Inc VAT" to "Excl VAT" at the top of our website. The "Excl VAT" price will be the price the student will pay the school. Any additional administration fee the school is charging will need adding to this, but its all easily itemised on the Assisted Instrument Purchase Order Form available to download and print below. This will make the process very simple for everyone.

How Can Rimmers Music Make The Process Simple For The School And Student?
We have created a simple form to download for students and parents to fill in to give to the school as an order form. (We have uploaded an image to show you what it looks like). Simply download the form using the button below and give the form to your students, or if you are a student or parent, you can download it yourself in the same way. Then all you have to do is look on our website to choose your product (view Excl VAT as detailed above) fill in the details on the form and then the student/parent can simply hand this order form in to the school with the payment. The school then places the order with us and the instrument is delivered and collected from the school, simple!