Healey must beware the ripple effects of Britain’s messy tax system Opinion A good tax system isn’t just about raising revenue, it's about encouraging the behaviours (working, saving, investing) that create a prosperous economy.
Ditching a damaging capital gains tax rise doesn’t make Healey a pro-growth Chancellor Opinion Although the government has ruled out raising Capital Gains Tax in the upcoming budget, Labour’s broader tax and spending policies remain economically damaging, uncompetitive, and fundamentally misguided, says Daniel Herring The government needs to find money for the upcoming Budget. Having ruled out the least damaging and broadest-based tax rises, Labour needs to resort to [...]
A bigger carrot, not a smaller stick, is needed to lure back the wealthy Opinion Those who left the UK for wealth purposes are not yet thinking about coming back. If Healey wants the wealthy back, they'll need an incentive
John Healey rules out capital gains tax hike in Budget October 20, 2026 John Healey has squashed speculation he will raise capital gains tax in the forthcoming Budget after rejecting calls from his Cabinet colleagues. The Treasury was facing lobbying efforts from top ministers, including Louise Haigh and Wes Streeting, to raise the capital gains tax (CGT) rate from its current level of 24 per cent for higher [...]
Wealthy investors accelerate gifting amid fears of Budget tax raid October 20, 2026 Wealthy Brits are accelerating plans to gift money to family members as fears over possible tax changes in the looming Autumn Budget grow. Over 40 per cent of wealthy investors with an average wealth of £3.1m, said they have already gifted money or are seriously considering doing so over Budget worries, according to fresh analysis [...]
‘Disaster’: Advisers raise the alarm on family business tax raid October 19, 2026 John Healey’s potential tax raid on family businesses could make handing down companies to the next generation a “disaster” and damage the economy, advisers have warned. The Chancellor is reportedly considering proposals to levy income tax when business owners hand down to their children, potentially almost doubling the bill. Under current rules, transfers can be [...]
Healey plots Budget raid on family businesses October 19, 2026 John Healey has reportedly drawn up plans for a tax raid on family businesses ahead of his first Budget, as he scrambles to avoid spending cuts. The Chancellor is considering proposals to levy income tax when business owners hand their company down to their children, potentially almost doubling the tax bill, according to a report [...]
‘Absurd’: Pension savers refunded £188m after HMRC overtaxes withdrawals October 16, 2026 Tens of thousands of taxpayers were handed money back from HMRC last year after savers had too much tax deducted from their pension withdrawals, City AM can reveal. HMRC processed 54,166 pension withdrawal repayments in the 2025/26 financial year, worth around £188m, according to figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request. During the financial [...]
Business feels ‘beaten up’, Burnham ally says October 14, 2026 Lord Jim O’Neill, one of Andy Burnham’s closest allies, has warned businesses feel “beaten up” by government as he urged the Prime Minister to spare British companies from another punishing raid at the Budget. Speaking to a group of MPs at the Treasury Select Committee, O’Neill doubled down on his opposition to capital gains tax [...]
Healey rejects calls to equalise capital gains and income tax rates October 13, 2026 Chancellor John Healey has reportedly rejected calls by senior Labour figures to raise capital gains tax to the same levels as income tax, after warnings that an increase would harm Britain’s appeal to investors. Several senior cabinet ministers have in recent months called for capital gains tax (CGT) to be equalised with income tax in [...]