Britain To Freeze Carbon Tax As Energy Cost Becomes Biggest Worry For Voters
http://www.thegwpf.org/britain-to-freeze-carbon-tax-as-energy-cost-becomes-biggest-worry-for-voters/
Consumers could be spared further rises in energy bills, if the chancellor freezes his controversial carbon tax in Wednesday’s Budget. A BBC survey, meanwhile, has suggested that energy bills are the top worry for consumers.
It is being widely predicted that George Osborne may decide to abandon any further increases in the Carbon Price Floor, introduced in April 2013.
Any freeze in the tax could cut as much as £50 from consumer bills by 2020.
Meanwhile, a BBC survey has suggested that energy bills are the biggest worry for households.
The Carbon Price Floor (CPF) is designed to penalise companies who create pollution, and to encourage investment in green energy.
The merits of freezing the tax have been advocated by an unusual array of allies, including the CBI, manufacturers’ organisation the EEF, energy suppliers and consumer groups including Which? and Consumer Futures.
However, those in favour of more investment in green energy are likely to be disappointed. Environmentalists say it could mean fewer wind turbines or solar farms being constructed.
‘Unnecessary burden’
The Carbon Price Floor (CPF) ensures that polluters pay a minimum price for the gas or fossil fuels they burn.
In effect, it is a surcharge on the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EETS), which was designed to tax polluters across the EU.
However, the market price of the right to emit carbon has fallen so much that the EETS is no longer as strong a disincentive to pollute as it was.
But the implementation of the CPF has left many big British companies paying more in tax than their counterparts elsewhere in the EU.
Last year, the CPF added £5 to a typical UK energy bill, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
But as the tax is due to be ramped up over the next few years, so too is the contribution from consumers.
“The Carbon Price Floor is set to become a bigger and unnecessary burden on struggling consumers in coming years and we think it should be scrapped,” said Richard Lloyd, the executive director of Which?
‘Worry’
A BBC survey, meanwhile, has suggested that energy bills are the top worry for consumers.
The survey, conducted by ComRes for BBC Breakfast, concluded that more people worry about paying utility bills or council tax than any other household expenditure.
The cost of food came second, with the cost of petrol and diesel in third place.
Full story
Sent by gReader Pro
