logo
UK's Reeves says no plans to raise taxes on scale of 2024 budget

UK's Reeves says no plans to raise taxes on scale of 2024 budget

Reuters2 days ago

LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - British finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday the government did not have any plans to announce tax hikes on a scale similar to the 40 billion pounds ($54 billion) of increases introduced in last year's budget in October.
"I have absolutely no intention of repeating a budget on that scale again," she told a press conference in northwest England, where she announced investments in regional transport projects.
Reeves said her Oct. 30 tax rises had been necessary to repair the public finances but that they were now on a "firm footing".
She will present a spending review next week, setting out the budgets for government departments for the rest of the parliamentary term.
($1 = 0.7390 pounds)

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Avoid using car finance claim firms, says financial watchdog
Avoid using car finance claim firms, says financial watchdog

Auto Express

time26 minutes ago

  • Auto Express

Avoid using car finance claim firms, says financial watchdog

Consumers have been advised to steer clear of using car finance claim firms, as the UK's top financial watchdog says they could be spending money unnecessarily. The Financial Conduct Authority has begun setting out advice surrounding a possible redress scheme with regard to the ongoing car finance scandal which, according to experts, could see billions of pounds made available for potential claims. Advertisement - Article continues below However, with countless companies now popping up to assist potential claimants, the FCA is keen to remind motorists that in using one 'they may end up paying for a service they do not need and having to pay up to 30 per cent in fees out of any award they may receive'. Rather than utilise one of these paid services, consumers can submit timestamped complaints and claims themselves. Tools such as those on the MoneySavingExpert website can help people search for previous finance agreements, while the site also provides a template in order to draft a letter of complaint. With the Supreme Court set to make its judgement next month in regard to whether 'discretionary commission arrangements' (DCAs) were illegal in the first instance, the FCA is also advising finance firms on how they should calculate claims for disgruntled clients. The FCA is keen for a redress scheme to strike a balance between being fair to consumers, but at the same time not disrupting the market by putting finance firms out of business. In its latest release, the FCA says that the latter scenario could 'reduce competition and could make it more expensive for consumers to borrow money to buy a car in the future'. Such a scheme will fall under one of two arrangements: 'opt-in' and 'opt-out'. With the former – considered the most likely scenario – claimants would be required to notify their finance provider prior to a specified date if they wish to be considered for redress. 'Opt-out', on the other hand, would mean that everyone who is eligible will automatically be included, unless they contact their firm to be taken off the list. Consumers can expect the FCA to announce within six weeks of the Court's judgement in July as to whether a full redress scheme will be implemented, and how exactly it will operate. Tell us which new car you're interested in and get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers to compare. Let's go…

Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals
Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals

South Wales Argus

time26 minutes ago

  • South Wales Argus

Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals

The Energy Department (Desnz) said on Friday that the future homes standard (FHS), which will be published in autumn, is expected to require new residential properties to have solar panels by default. Gas boilers will also not meet the proposed standard, meaning low-carbon heating – such as heat pumps – will also likely become the new default under building regulations. With a significant amount of the UK's carbon footprint coming from gas heating of homes, the FHS will require new housing in England to produce fewer carbon emissions than those built under current regulations. Air source heat pumps use electricity and energy from the air to produce heating and hot water (Alamy/PA) The Government said the measures will also help to slash household energy bills and boost the nation's energy security. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 'Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard. 'So many people just don't understand why this doesn't already happen. With our plans, it will.' Desnz calculates that a typical existing UK home could save around £530 a year from installing rooftop solar based on the current energy price cap. Matthew Pennycook, housing and planning minister, said: 'The future homes standard will ensure new homes are modern and efficient with low-carbon heating, while our common-sense planning changes will now make it easier and cheaper for people to use heat pumps and switch to EVs so they can play their part in bolstering our nation's energy security.' Current building regulations do not require developers to add solar panels or heat pumps to new homes. In 2023, the previous Conservative government proposed new build homes would need solar panel coverage equivalent to 40% of the building's floor area. Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills (PA) But this also allowed for exemptions, which would lead to no solar on many developments, the current Government says. Under the proposed changes, developers who cannot meet 40% coverage will still be required to install a reasonable amount of solar coverage – or other forms of renewable electricity generation, with rare exceptions. Ministers also say the FHS will effectively require low-carbon heating, such as domestic heat pumps installed into new builds. The previous Conservative government faced criticism for rowing back on its proposals to ban the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. While the Government is not planning to introduce such a ban, citing concerns around cost, Desnz confirmed on Friday that FHS proposals include mandating minimum criteria for energy efficiency which mean newly built homes have to install greener heating systems. Recent changes to planning rules aimed at removing barriers to heat pump installations came into force on May 29, enabling households to install a heat pump within one metre of their property's boundary without having to submit a planning application. The first quarter of 2025 saw a record number of applications to the boiler upgrade scheme, which provides households with up to £7,500 off the cost of a heat pump, seeing a 73% jump from the same quarter last year. Charles Wood, deputy director of policy (systems) at Energy UK, said: 'This change, alongside wider reforms to planning processes and network connections, will reduce bills for people in new build properties while also giving the industry confidence to invest in increased manufacturing and installer training as demand increases, creating jobs and bringing down technology costs for everyone.' The UK is legally committed to reaching its net zero target by 2050, meaning the UK must cut carbon emissions until it removes as much as it produces, in line with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals
Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals

Rhyl Journal

time28 minutes ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Most new homes must have solar panels and heat pumps under Government proposals

The Energy Department (Desnz) said on Friday that the future homes standard (FHS), which will be published in autumn, is expected to require new residential properties to have solar panels by default. Gas boilers will also not meet the proposed standard, meaning low-carbon heating – such as heat pumps – will also likely become the new default under building regulations. With a significant amount of the UK's carbon footprint coming from gas heating of homes, the FHS will require new housing in England to produce fewer carbon emissions than those built under current regulations. The Government said the measures will also help to slash household energy bills and boost the nation's energy security. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 'Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard. 'So many people just don't understand why this doesn't already happen. With our plans, it will.' Desnz calculates that a typical existing UK home could save around £530 a year from installing rooftop solar based on the current energy price cap. Matthew Pennycook, housing and planning minister, said: 'The future homes standard will ensure new homes are modern and efficient with low-carbon heating, while our common-sense planning changes will now make it easier and cheaper for people to use heat pumps and switch to EVs so they can play their part in bolstering our nation's energy security.' Current building regulations do not require developers to add solar panels or heat pumps to new homes. In 2023, the previous Conservative government proposed new build homes would need solar panel coverage equivalent to 40% of the building's floor area. But this also allowed for exemptions, which would lead to no solar on many developments, the current Government says. Under the proposed changes, developers who cannot meet 40% coverage will still be required to install a reasonable amount of solar coverage – or other forms of renewable electricity generation, with rare exceptions. Ministers also say the FHS will effectively require low-carbon heating, such as domestic heat pumps installed into new builds. The previous Conservative government faced criticism for rowing back on its proposals to ban the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. While the Government is not planning to introduce such a ban, citing concerns around cost, Desnz confirmed on Friday that FHS proposals include mandating minimum criteria for energy efficiency which mean newly built homes have to install greener heating systems. Recent changes to planning rules aimed at removing barriers to heat pump installations came into force on May 29, enabling households to install a heat pump within one metre of their property's boundary without having to submit a planning application. The first quarter of 2025 saw a record number of applications to the boiler upgrade scheme, which provides households with up to £7,500 off the cost of a heat pump, seeing a 73% jump from the same quarter last year. Charles Wood, deputy director of policy (systems) at Energy UK, said: 'This change, alongside wider reforms to planning processes and network connections, will reduce bills for people in new build properties while also giving the industry confidence to invest in increased manufacturing and installer training as demand increases, creating jobs and bringing down technology costs for everyone.' The UK is legally committed to reaching its net zero target by 2050, meaning the UK must cut carbon emissions until it removes as much as it produces, in line with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store