Tories dismiss PM’s budget ‘everyday fixes’ as little more than ‘cheaper gherkins’, and ‘an insult to families’ – UK politics live
Summary
Ahead of the UK budget, the government announced five cost-of-living measures it calls “everyday fixes,” including changes to mileage tax relief, parental pay and Carer’s Allowance rules. Unison welcomed the mileage change but said rising food and fuel costs require bolder, longer-term policies.Key Facts
- The government plans to make the 55p-per-mile tax-free rate permanent for the first 10,000 business miles and raise the rate for additional miles from 25p to 35p.
- The Treasury says about three million employees and self-employed people who drive their own vehicles for work will benefit from the mileage changes.
- The Treasury estimates the mileage changes will save a worker who drives 6,000 business miles £120 a year in tax, and someone who drives 15,000 miles up to £300.
- The government plans to extend parental pay to more than 150,000 additional parents a year, including some self-employed fathers and partners, with eligible parents receiving two weeks of support.
- The budget will scrap the Carer’s Allowance rule that can remove a carer’s entire allowance for earning just over the weekly limit.
- Unison general secretary Andrea Egan welcomed permanent higher mileage rates but called for policies that make wealthier people pay more and improve working-class communities.
- The measures were announced ahead of the UK budget, which is due the following day.
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