Chancellor John Healey has announced plans to remove import taxes on marmalade, gherkins, and more than 100 other everyday items as part of a pre-Budget package designed to ease cost-of-living pressures on households. Scheduled for Wednesday, the measures aim to give families financial breathing space amid global economic headwinds.
Under the proposals, tariffs—including a 20% duty and an additional £19 charge per 100kg imported on items like marmalade—will be suspended. The government estimates that these tariff removals, combined with existing suspensions on goods such as pasta, fruit juice, and tuna, could save households up to £21 annually. Healey pointed to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran as drivers of higher everyday costs, stating that while global events are outside government control, officials are acting where they can make a difference.
Alongside tariff cuts, the pre-Budget package features several policy adjustments:
- Making permanent a 55p per mile tax-free mileage rate for work-related driving up to 10,000 miles, with the rate rising from 25p to 35p per mile above that threshold.
- Introducing a taper mechanism for carer's allowance, allowing individuals to earn above the current earnings limit without losing their entire payment.
- Extending two weeks of paternity pay, worth up to £194 a week, to self-employed fathers.
- Rolling out hundreds of additional Post Office drop boxes for parcel sending.
- Extending the 5p fuel duty discount originally introduced in 2022.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the package, emphasizing a focus on everyday problems alongside larger national challenges. However, the opposition Conservatives criticized the proposals. Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith dismissed the initiative, arguing that the offer of cheaper gherkins is an insult to families facing increased taxes, borrowing costs, and inflation under the current administration.
