The FairFuelUK poll titled “What do YOU want from the Christmas Budget 2025?” was conducted as part of their 14th annual Pre-Budget Opinion Survey. It was open to all between October 20th and November 14th, with over 63,000 participants responding, to date.
- Of the 63,909 poll respondents, 45.7% want Fuel Duty Cut by up to 20p per litre, 27.5% want it kept frozen, 19.3% want this regressive levy scrapped altogether, and 3.6% want it increased by up to 20p per litre. 3.9% were unsure about what they wanted to happen with the budget regarding this tax.
- Despite more than 83.4% saying that EVs should be taxed to use our roads, 4 out of 5 (78.7%) are completely against introducing any form of pay-per-mile taxation.
- Between 47% and 69% of respondents to the survey said they’d have to cut back their spending if Fuel Duty were hiked by restoring Rishi Sunak’s temporary 5p cut or even worse by potentially up to a rumoured 10p – 20p increase in the Winter Budget.
- But if Rachel Reeves continues to freeze or even cuts Fuel Duty by as much as 20 pence, up to 9 out of 10 of these road users will likely spend their pump fill-up tax cut savings into the economy.
- 9 out of 10 drivers will spend considerably more in the economy, with these filling up at the pump savings, if Fuel Duty is cut by 20p per litre.
- Over 12,007 small businesses/sole traders also responded, with 55% to 77% stating that their company would have no choice but to reduce their business costs if fuel duty were increased by 5p to 20p in the Budget.
- If the Chancellor continues to freeze Fuel Duty, however, one in four small businesses responding to FairFuelUK’s Annual survey will definitely increase their spending on their businesses. However, more encouragingly for the Treasury to develop economic growth, any cut of 5p up to 20p per litre in this regressive levy will lead to an even more significant increase in expenditure for 55% to 77% of these sole traders and small businesses.
- 3 out of 4 sole traders will definitely spend on their businesses if Fuel Duty is cut by 20p per litre.
Howard Cox, Founder of FairFuelUK, says: “Time and time again over the past decade and a half, FairFuelUK has demonstrated, through highly respected independent economic analyses, that reducing fuel duty on the highest taxed drivers in the world will slow down inflation. GDP will grow, jobs will be created, consumer spending will rise, business investment will increase, and consequently, Treasury income will benefit significantly. Our latest survey is not the typical market research for purists. But, it shows that putting money into the pockets of real people, such as these consumers and businesses, will promote economic growth and boost tax revenue for this beleaguered Labour Government. So, at the very least, Rachel Reeves, please keep Fuel Duty Frozen for the lifetime of this Parliament.
“Net Zero is neither a valid nor an effective tax policy for pursuing economic growth, either. Over the last 20 to 25 years, CO2 emissions worldwide have increased by 50%, but the UK’s have decreased by 45%. So why should drivers be penalised for the good environmental work already done here in Blighty? Why should consumers and businesses be punished in the pocket when we have done more than any other country in the world to reduce emissions?
“To improve economic productivity, the UK should copy the US and build more roads, especially motorways, as part of its long-term infrastructure strategy. Initial priorities should include, for example, connections between the Midlands and key ports, such as Felixstowe, Southampton, and Hull, as well as links between large cities – particularly the long-neglected trans-Pennine routes. And of course, to maximise the accumulation and recognised productivity benefits of roads, the UK should reduce road user costs to the US model. And that means cutting Fuel Duty.”
