Fuel Duty
Fuel duty will be increased by 2p per litre on the first of September this year and by 1p per litre in March next year, making it a double blow for the industry as fuel can still be purchased cheaper abroad than it can be purchased in the UK. The price increase will not only mean hauliers being priced of the road by foreign haulage companies taking advantage of the cheaper fuel abroad but increase the danger to other road users because due to Government figures foreign vehicles are 8 times more likely to be involved a fatal or serious Accident. This month saw a increase in fuel duty of 1.84p with the proposed increases fuel duty would have increased by 11% in 9 months. Duty on rebated oils will increase in line with main Fuel Duty increases on the same dates.
Below is the government table showing the proposed increases.
| Fuel type | Current rate (pence per litre unless stated) | New rate (pence per litre unless stated, from 1 September 2009) |
| Ultra-low sulphur petrol / diesel | 54.19 | 56.19 |
| Sulphur-free petrol / diesel | 54.19 | 56.19 |
| Biodiesel | 34.19 | 36.19 |
| Bioethanol | 34.19 | 36.19 |
| Liquefied petroleum gas used as road fuel | 24.82 per kg | 27.67 per kg |
| Natural gas used as road fuel | 19.26 per kg | 22.16 per kg |
| Rebated gas oil (red diesel, eg. gas oil or kerosene) | 10.42 | 10.80 |
| Fuel oil | 10.00 | 10.37 |
Vehicle excise duty (VED)
The Chancellor announced a number of measures to reform vehicle tax.
Tax classes include;
Private / light goods vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles.
Cars registered on or after 1 March 2006 based on CO2 emissions and fuel type.
Cars registered on or after 23 March 2006 based on CO2 emissions over 225g/km and fuel type
Light goods vehicles registered on or after 1 March 2001
Euro 4 light goods vehicles registered between 1 March 2003 and 31 December 2010
Euro 5 light goods vehicles registered between January 2009 and 31 December 2010.
The cost of vehicle tax for cars, motorcycles, light goods vehicles
Calculate the cost of vehicle tax for your vehicle using the tables below. The tables contain the rates of vehicle tax for the different tax classes, together with tax class (TC) codes to distinguish them.
The rates shown apply to tax discs taken out from 13 March 2008.
Cars registered before 1 March 2001 (based on engine size)
Private/light goods (TC11)
| Engine size (cc) | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| Not over 1549 | £120.00 | £66.00 |
| Over 1549 | £185.00 | £101.75 |
Cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 (based on fuel type and CO2 emissions)
The rates shown only apply to cars that have been type approved in category M1 and registered on the basis of CO2 emissions measured in grams per kilometre (g/km) driven. These details are shown on the Registration Certificate.
Petrol car (TC48) and diesel car (TC49)
| Band | CO2 emission (g/km) | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| A | Up to 100 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| B | 101-120 | £35.00 | Not applicable |
| C | 121-150 | £120.00 | £66.00 |
| D | 151-165 | £145.00 | £79.75 |
| E | 166-185 | £170.00 | £93.50 |
| F | Over 185 | £210.00 | £115.50 |
| G | Over 225 – for cars registered on or after 23/03/06 | £400.00 | £220.00 |
Alternative fuel car (TC59)
| Band | CO2 emission (g/km) | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| A | Up to 100 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| B | 101-120 | £15.00 | Not applicable |
| C | 121-150 | £100.00 | £55.00 |
| D | 151-165 | £125.00 | £68.75 |
| E | 166-185 | £150.00 | £82.50 |
| F | Over 185 | £195.00 | £107.25 |
| G | Over 225 – for cars registered on or after 23/03/06 | £385.00 | £211.75 |
Light goods vehicles (TC39)
Registered on or after 1 March 2001 (not over 3,500kg revenue weight).
| Vehicle | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| Light goods vehicle | £180.00 | £99.00 |
Euro 4 light goods vehicles (TC36)
Registered between 1 March 2003 and 31 December 2006 only (not over 3,500kg revenue weight).
| Vehicle | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| Euro 4 light goods vehicles | £120.00 | £66.00 |
Euro 5 light goods vehicles (TC36)
Registered between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010 only (not over 3,500kg revenue weight).
|
Vehicle |
12 months rate |
6 months rate |
| Euro 5 light goods vehicles | £120.00 | £66.00 |
Motorcycle (with or without a sidecar) (TC17)
| Engine size (cc) | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| Not over 150 | £15.00 | Not applicable |
| 151-400 | £33.00 | Not applicable |
| 401-600 | £48.00 | Not applicable |
| Over 600 | £66.00 | £36.30 |
Tricycles (not over 450kg unladen) (TC50)
| Engine size (cc) | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| Tricycle not over 150 | £15.00 | Not applicable |
| All other tricycles | £66.00 | £36.30 |
Trade licences
| Vehicle | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| All vehicles | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| Bicycles (only) not over 450kg | £66.00 | £36.30 |
| Tricycles (only) not over 450kg | £66.00 | £36.30 |
The cost of vehicle tax for buses and larger vehicles
Buses (TC34)
| Seating capacity V5C (including driver) |
12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| 10-17 | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| 18-36 | £220.00 | £121.00 |
| 37-61 | £330.00 | £181.50 |
| 62 and over | £500.00 | £275.00 |
Reduced pollution buses (TC38)
| Seating capacity V5C (including driver) |
12 months rate |
6 months rate |
| 10-17 | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| 18-36 | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| 37-61 | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| 62 and over | £165.00 | £90.75 |
General haulage (TC55)
| 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| £350.00 | £192.50 |
Reduced pollution general haulage (TC56)
| 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| £165.00 | £90.75 |
Recovery vehicles (TC47)
| Over kg | Not over kg | 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| 3,500 | 25,000 | £165.00 | £90.75 |
| 25,000 | Not applicable | £410.00 | £225.50 |
Private HGV (exceeding 3,500kg revenue weight) (TC10)
| 12 months rate | 6 months rate |
| £165.00 | £90.75 |
A full report on the budget can be downloaded from
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