Daily Archives: October 28, 2012

Jim Pickard Tories claim public supports cut to child benefit cuts for rich

October 28, 2012 11:59 pm by Jim Pickard

The coalition will defend plans to remove child benefit from about one million of the highest-paid by arguing that the move is supported by the vast majority of society.

HM Revenue & Customs will this week send a mail-out to all households with at least one person earning over £50,000 – some 15 per cent of families with children – warning them that they will no longer receive the full payments.

Tory MPs have warned of a major backlash against the move, which will see better-off voters losing more than £1,000 a year for a first child and almost £2,500 for three children under the changes, which take effect in January.

Some fear there could be a major problem of non-compliance if people refuse to tell the taxman that they no longer merit the payments.

But the Conservative party will today (Monday) publish a poll suggesting that 82 per cent of people support the move, which comes at a time of steep cuts to Read more

Posted in UK politics |

Jim Pickard Ministers wary on idea of two-tier road tax

October 28, 2012 5:41 pm by Jim Pickard

Ministers have been considering the introduction of a two-tier system of road tax under which motorists who use motorways and main trunk roads pay more than those who do not.

The proposed overhaul of vehicle excise duty, which raises £6bn a year for the exchequer, would see those paying less confined to driving only on local and smaller A-roads.

The transport department and Treasury are finishing a review of how to fund Britain’s congested road network, ordered by David Cameron, prime minister.

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Posted in UK politics |