2 weeks Ago By Luke Chillingsworth
Elderly drivers and motorists from “lower-income households” are set to be most affected by rising petrol and diesel costs likely to hit drivers within hours . According to experts at YourNRG , “pensioners” are likely to be “significantly impacted” by an hike in fuel duty charges in the Autumn Budget. Specialists have also outlined that “young families” and even "business owners” could feel the sting after the Chancellor’s announcement.
YourNRG has previously warned that drivers from rural areas would be among the most impacted as these individuals did not have access to many public transport alternatives. Fuel duty has long been predicted as being a target on Rachel Reeves' Budget hit-list this October. Speaking exclusively to Express.
co.uk, Your NRG said: “Beyond those in rural areas, other groups likely to be significantly impacted include small business owners who rely on vehicles for daily operations, such as tradespeople, delivery drivers, and local services. “Additionally, lower-income households without access to efficient public transport alternatives will feel the pinch as they often need to rely on cars for essential travel.
“Young families and pensioners, who may already be struggling with other living costs, could also find this increase especially burdensome.” With fuel duty expected to rise, experts have been predicting fees could rise anywhere from 5p to 10p per litre . However, many have appeared to now settle on a possible 7p rise which would increase the cost of filling-up a family car by £3.
85 per tank. Over the course of a year, this would see annual motoring bills rise by around £175 in a major blow to cash-strapped individuals. It would be the first fuel duty hike in over a decade after the Conservatives maintained the freeze on petrol and diesel costs for much of their term in office.
YourNRG have reiterated that a 10p per litre increase should not be taken off the cards even if 7p was more likely. They told Express.co.
uk: “While a 5p increase seems to be the most likely scenario, it's important to note that any increase in duty will also have VAT added at 20 percent, so a 5p rise would actually result in an additional 6p per litre for the end user. “Treasury considerations and the scale of the budget shortfall could push this to a 7p or even a 10p increase. “Ultimately, it depends on how the Chancellor balances immediate revenue needs with the economic impact on consumers.
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