Tory chair Grant Shapps hints at Budget cut in alcohol duty March 11, 2015 Tory party chairman Grant Shapps has given a strong indication that there will be an alcohol duty cut on spirits in next week’s crucial pre-election Budget. Shapps, who also has some ministerial responsibility for trade, commented yesterday on the prospect of an alcohol rates cut: “You always have hope when there’s a Budget.Wait and see.” A [...]
Budget 2015: Current pensioners could sell their annuities for cash under new rules March 11, 2015 Current pensioners might be able to sell their annuities for cash under new plans due to be discussed by senior government ministers on Friday. According to the FT, if the proposals go ahead retirees would be allowed to sell their annual income contracts to insurers on secondary markets. In return, they would receive a cash [...]
Income tax rate 2015: Is an £11,000 personal tax-free allowance on the cards in Osborne’s Budget speech? March 8, 2015 The nation could be in for a treat and find more cash in their pocket from April as part of a pre-election tax pledge by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. George Osborne is planning to raise the tax-free allowance further in what could be the chancellor’s last ever budget, due to be announced in less [...]
Budget 2030: What will chancellors of the future have to grapple with? March 3, 2015 Red box at the ready: it’s two weeks until George Osborne delivers his final Budget of this Parliament. As it is happening only days after Nesta’s future-gazing London festival FutureFest (taking place on 14 and 15 March), we’ve been speculating as to what the Budget in 2030 might look like. Let’s take a look into [...]
Liberal Democrats call for extra £1bn bank levy to pay off deficit March 1, 2015 Plans to tax Britain’s banks should be lifted with an additional £1bn levy in order to help pay off the deficit, will be announced by the Liberal Democrats today. Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, is making a bid to have the proposal included in the chancellor’s Budget later this month. If it is [...]
North Sea tax break for oil firms expected in next Budget February 25, 2015 The Chancellor is likely to announce new tax breaks for North Sea oil firms in his upcoming Budget. George Osborne met industry body Oil & Gas UK yesterday to discuss the future of the offshore oil and gas sector. The group’s chief executive Malcolm Webb said he came away from the meeting feeling “encouraged”. [...]