Website of the UK government

Tax changes

• The £600 increase in the Income Tax personal allowance announced in May 2008 will become permanent with a further increase of £130.  This means that basic rate taxpayers will pay £145 less tax a year in 2009-10
• Employee, employer and self-employed rates of National Insurance Contributions will increase by 0.5 per cent from April 2011
• The Income Tax personal allowance will be restricted to half its value for those with incomes over £100,000 from April 2010
• A new, higher rate of Income Tax of 45 per cent will be introduced for incomes above £150,000

• Income Tax rates for 2009-10

VAT

The Value Added Tax (VAT) rate will be temporarily reduced to 15 per cent from 1 December 2008 until 31 December 2009.

• Pre-Budget Report 2008 - VAT reduction

Motoring taxes

Following the fall in pump prices by over 20 pence per litre from their summer peaks, the postponed two pence per litre fuel increase will go ahead on 1 December 2008.  Also, as announced in the Budget in March, main fuel duties will further increase by 1.84 pence per litre on 1 April 2009 and 0.5 pence per litre above indexation on 1 April 2010.

The Pre-Budget Report confirms the introduction of new Vehicle Excise Duty bands in 2009. But, to reduce pressures on motorists during the current economic downturn, there will be no significant rate changes until 2010, and no driver in any given band will pay over £30 more in that year.

• Motoring taxes

Benefits and tax credits

To provide additional support for low- and middle-income taxpayers, the government will:

• Bring forward April’s increase in Child Benefit to January.  This is worth an additional £22 on average to families.  The commitment to increase the child element of the Child Tax Credit by £25 above indexation in April 2010 will also be brought forward to April 2009.
• All pensioners will be paid £60 in the New Year.  This is the equivalent of bringing forward the April increase in the Basic State Pension for a single pensioner to January.
• The Prime Minister's announcement to legislate on the commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020 will be taken forward through a child poverty bill in 2009.
• The government is committed to uprating the basic State Pension by RPI or 2.5 per cent, whichever is higher.  In April 2009 the level of a full State Pension will rise in line with prices to £95.25 a week.
• An above-indexation increase in Pension Credit’s minimum income guarantee to £130 for single pensioners and £198.45 for couples in 2009-10.

• Pre-Budget Report 2008 - benefit rates

Green measures

The government will:

• Introduce a green stimulus – accelerating £535 million of capital spending on energy efficiency, rail transport, and adaptation measures.
• Include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012.
• Go ahead with the postponed two pence per litre fuel increase on 1 December 2008.
• Install 600,000 insulation measures this winter.
• Reform air passenger duty from 1 November 2009.

• Pre-Budget Report 2008 - environmental goals

Public spending

As part of the government’s fiscal stimulus package, £3 billion of capital spending will be brought forward from 2010-11 into 2009-10 and 2008-09.

The government will increase its Value for Money target in 2010-11 by £5 billion.

Current spending will grow on average from 2011-12 to 2013-14 at 1.2 per cent a year in real terms, and public sector net investment will move to 1.8 per cent of GDP by 2013-14.