UK to suspend import taxes on more than 100 everyday goods in pre-Budget package

The UK government says it will remove or suspend import taxes on more than 100 products, including marmalade and gherkins, as part of a pre-Budget package aimed at easing pressure on household budgets. The measures are being presented as a set of "everyday fixes" designed to give families "breathing space" on living costs. The announcement comes ahead of the chancellor's Budget statement on Wednesday.

According to the government, the tariff changes will apply to more than 100 "family favourite" products and could save households up to £21 a year when combined with existing suspensions on items such as pasta, fruit juice and tuna. One example given was marmalade, where a 20% tariff and an additional £19 charge per 100kg imported would be suspended. The package also includes permanent changes to tax-free mileage rates and a new approach to carer's allowance rules.

The government said the changes are intended to help households, farmers facing higher fertiliser costs, and families reliant on heating oil. It also said the measures would end the so-called cliff edge for people receiving carer's allowance payments by replacing it with a taper mechanism. In addition, the plan would make permanent a 55p per mile tax-free mileage rate for those driving up to 10,000 miles for work, with the rate rising from 25p to 35p per mile above that threshold.

The announcement is politically significant because it places cost-of-living relief at the centre of the Budget debate. The government said global events, including wars in Iran and Ukraine, have pushed up everyday costs for people in the UK. That framing suggests ministers want to present the package as a practical response to external pressures rather than a broad tax-cutting exercise.

It also comes at a time when household finances remain sensitive to food, fuel and transport costs. The package extends beyond tariffs. It includes giving two weeks of paternity pay to self-employed fathers, who have previously missed out on payments of up to £194 a week for that period.

The government also said it will roll out hundreds of additional Post Office drop boxes to make sending parcels easier. Taken together, the measures are being described by ministers as targeted changes rather than a single large fiscal intervention. The opposition has criticised the plan, saying the offer of "cheaper gherkins" is an insult to families affected by higher taxes.

The government has not yet set out the full Budget package, and it remains unclear how much of the wider cost will be offset elsewhere in the public finances. What to watch next is whether the chancellor uses the Budget to expand these measures, and whether the tariff suspensions translate into noticeable price changes for consumers.

#UKbudget #importtaxes #costofliving #tariffs #householdfinances

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.