This research note details losses and special payments made by Ministerial Departments for the year 2013-14. In this research note the TaxPayers’ Alliance highlights how government departments spent beyond what Parliament would have contemplated when agreeing funds for each department in the 2013-14 financial year. It is important to note... Read more...
The debate around taxation in recent years has often focused on whether or not different individuals and groups in society pay their “fair share”. But this emotive debate is rarely based on evidence. New figures show that the top 3,000 earners in the UK pay more Income Tax than the... Read more...
The TaxPayers' Alliance's response to the Autumn Statement 2014 Read more...
New research conducted by the TaxPayers’ Alliance suggests public bodies are providing trade union representatives with office space in taxpayer-funded buildings at knock-down rates Government guidance says “restrictions should be placed on use of office facilities” but many bodies are ignoring that advice. Analysis demonstrates subsidised union activity in the... Read more...
New analysis by the TaxPayers’ Alliance demonstrates that British foreign aid spending has little to no bearing on the freedom experienced in receiving countries. The research, which uses a series of well-respected indices to deliver an overall “freedom score”, plots that score against the amount of foreign aid a country... Read more...
The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) today reveals that trade unions received at least £108 million in subsidies from taxpayers in 2012-13, just £5 million less than in 2011-12. Our comprehensive survey shows shows that trade unions received an estimated £85 million in paid staff time (facility time) plus £23 million in direct payments in 2012-13. The research also demonstrates... Read more...
The Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) budget for 2014-15 is £38 billion, one of the largest on Whitehall. It accounts for more than 5 per cent of this year’s Total Managed Expenditure (TME) of £732 billion and consequently is under scrutiny. Read more...
Emergency services in Wales are facing significant pressure on their finances. With that in mind, they should be examining ways to cut overall expenditure in areas that have the least impact on their ability to provide a good service. Previous TaxPayers’ Alliance research has shown that millions of pounds are... Read more...
For the eighth consecutive year, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has compiled the most comprehensive list of council employees in the UK whose total annual remuneration exceeds £100,000. This year’s Town Hall Rich List covers the 2011-12 and 2012-13 financial years, the most recent full years for which data is available. Read more...
Public sector debt is forecast by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility to exceed £1.3 trillion in 2014-15.1 However, as explained by previous TaxPayers’ Alliance research, this number does not include a range of expensive commitments such as unfunded pension liabilities. Read more...
In advance of the Comprehensive Spending Review, we can reveal how the Government could cut vast swathes of wasteful and unnecessary spending. A new online edition of theBumper Book of Government Waste, published today, identifies potential savings to the tune of nearly £120 billion, a figure almost exactly equal to... Read more...
When Stamp Duty was first introduced there was only one rate of 1% paid on properties over £60,000 which was more than above the current average house price. Now we have 5 rates and more than two thirds of families pay it when they move. Read more...
As a country our tax legislation is vast, complicated and growing; with each successive government the size of the UK tax code grows. A simpler, clearer and lighter tax system which is more understandable would close loopholes, encourage business growth and be easier to implement. Read more...
Between 2002-3 and 2012-13, the NHS budget increased from £57 billion to more than £105 billion. With the budget now so large and no longer growing so quickly, it’s more important than ever that the NHS delivers value for money. Read more...
The Coalition judges itself partly on its progress on reducing the annual deficit to stop the total accumulated debt from spiralling out of control. But the official National Debt is not the only liability the Government is storing up for future taxpayers. Unfunded pension promises for public sector employees are not included in... Read more...
You can find the factbook here All facts and figures correct at the time of research Read more...
We can today reveal that the NHS in England wasted £41.4 million last year simply by paying more than it should for energy and water. The money wasted annually on excessive utility bills could cover the cost of employing 1,350 more nurses. A number of hospitals could have saved over... Read more...
Councils have received less money from central government since 2010. This has been necessary to help close the deficit. But local authorities shouldn't look to local taxpayers to plug the gaps in their finances by hiking Council Tax, a bill that has nearly doubled over the last decade. Council Tax... Read more...
Work for the Dole is a proposal to fix welfare dependency based around the idea that welfare reform must involve more than numeracy and literacy tests in order to ensure those stuck on welfare have a better chance of gaining employment. To read the full report, click here Read more...
Britain’s contribution to the EU gets bigger every year. That means bigger tax bills for families across the country and too much of the money is wasted. Brussels also makes life difficult for British businesses with draconian regulations. We deserve a better deal. Click here for the factbook. Read more...
As millions of British families return from their holidays, new research from the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) reveals just how much tax they have to pay in order to enjoy a well-earned break. Thanks to the highest taxes on flights in the world and other taxes on common holiday purchases, the... Read more...
Three in ten homes are to suffer from a Stamp Duty hike by 2017, whilst a third of potential home buyers will pay over £7,500 in Stamp Duty by 2018. Read more...
The Tax Payers’ Alliance believes that in the long term Stamp Duty Land Tax should be abolished. However reforms are also possible that would ease the burden on families with a limited, or even positive, impact on overall tax receipts. In new research based on the relationship between the tax... Read more...
Expected rising property prices over the next five years by Savills Research mean that many more exempt homes will be subject to Stamp Duty when they are sold and many homes which are already subject to the charge will face an even higher bill. While all homes which rise in... Read more...