Unison has particularly welcomed the announcement today about higher tax-free mileage rates being made permanent. (See 9.07am.) The union has been campaigning for this, and some of its members will benefit. But, in her response, Andrea Egan, Unison’s general secretary illustrated how there is a limit to how much goodwill a government can generate from small “everyday fixes”. She said: These are welcome measures, especially making the uplift to mileage rates permanent, something Unison has campaigned hard for.
The government’s relentless focus on the cost of living is commendable. But the cost of essentials, including food and fuel, is going to keep soaring, meaning breathing space will quickly be closed down. That’s why we need to see a bolder approach, based on making the wealthy pay their fair share and improving the lives of working-class communities in a more enduring way.
The Treasury says three million people are expected to benefit from the mileage changes. It says: These changes will provide £120 a year in additional tax savings for a worker doing 6,000 business miles, with someone driving 15,000 business miles receiving up to £300 in additional tax savings.
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