FUEL duty will be frozen by the Chancellor in his Spring Statement as Rishi Sunak seeks to ease the pressure at the pumps.
The cost of filling up has rocketed in recent weeks owing to Russia’s war in Ukraine, rising inflation and the looming cost of living increases.
The Chancellor is expected to attempt to tackle the rises by not increasing fuel duty – the money taken by the Government from the sale of petrol and diesel.
While the news will come as a welcome relief to drivers, economists have warned freezing fuel duty could safe just 5p a litre for motorists now shelling out well over £1.70 a litre each time the fill up.
The Chancellor’s statement is also expected to set out how the government plans to create a new culture of enterprise, with the private sector training more, investing more, and innovating more.
As well as freezing alcohol duty, the Government is also raising the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour from April, meaning people working full time on the National Living Wage will see a £1,000 increase in their annual earnings.
Mr Sunak will set out further plans to support people with the rising cost of living and pledge to continue to ‘stand by’ hard-working families during the challenging times ahead.
He is expected to say: “We will confront this challenge to our values not just in the arms and resources we send to Ukraine but in strengthening our economy here at home.
“So when I talk about security, yes – I mean responding to the war in Ukraine.
“But I also mean the security of a faster growing economy.
“The security of more resilient public finances. “And security for working families as we help with the cost of living.”
Mr Sunak will deliver his Spring Statement at 12.30pm tomorrow (Wednesday)
