28-06-2012

Are they finally seeing some sense? It may seem like a drop in the ocean, but the government have taken a u-turn on their decision to impose a 3p fuel duty increase in August of this year. The proposed price hike has now been delayed until 2013, which should bide some time for those fleet owners and van insurance customers struggling to make ends meet.

The move comes as a result of extensive lobbying by the FairFuelUK campaign, which has opened the government’s eyes to just how much petrol prices are pushing many businesses’ and families’finances to breaking point. Van insurance customers and hauliers in particular can expect to dodge an additional fuel bill in the region £1,200 a year as a result of the delay.

Announcing the postponement of the duty rise, Chancellor George Osborne, said: “We are on the side of working families and businesses and this will fuel our recovery at this very difficult economic time for the world. We are doing everything we can and the one-off cost of this change will be fully paid for by the larger than forecast savings in departmental budgets.”

If the postponed rise in duty was to go ahead, the government would have encountered strong opposition, not only from the general public and business owners, but also from opposition parties such as Labour, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, as well as, embarrassingly, Conservative MPs who were pushing for a change of heart.

So, a moment of rest bite for businesses and consumers across the UK; however, with future rises scheduled for January, fuel duty increases are never too far away.

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