Budget Central

Welcome to Budget Central, our essential budget weblog where we will keep you updated with the latest news and views ahead of the Budget on March 21.

HAVE YOUR SAY

With Gordon Brown the overwhelming favourite to replace Tony Blair as Prime Minister this summer, his final Budget speech will be watched even more closely than usual with pundits looking for clues as to the direction a Brown premiership.

Economists say there is little scope for any big tax giveaways despite pressure on the Chancellor to boost Labour’s ailing fortunes in the opinion polls. But there is mounting speculation that Mr Brown could introduce a package of “green” measures to help address climate change.

Here at Times Money we would love to know what you think the Chancellor should include in his budget.

Are you desperate for the abolition of inheritance tax? Or would you like to see the stamp duty rules changed? Would you be willing to pay more green taxes? Or do you think they are just another stealth method of raising revenue?

Post your comments using the form below.

Comments

[Jenifer shall]

The stamp duty is now completely outdated. The cost of this has prevented myself and my family moveing to a better property as although I could afford the mortgage payments, the additional amount for stamp duty is not possible.
Are we really meant to work hard just to stay at the same level we were 10 years ago,surely people would work harder and take less time off sick if they could see some positive results in their live styles

[Maria Senior]

Instead of spending £4 billion plus on the Iraq war, and £20 billion on replacing Trident, why can't the government behave decently for once and give all pensioners a decent, non means tested income?

[S Harwood]

Stamp duty is an anachronism. Why, if I can switch cash without penalty to take advantage of a better BS interest rate, should it cost me 1/2% of my capital to do the same with an underperforming company investment?
Why should someone who moves house to advance his career and generally help the economy should he likewise pay tax for doing so?
Scrap stamp duty and make up for its loss by avoiding the cost of ridiculous wars, reducing government waste and (then, if necessary) increasing income tax.

[alex thompson]

Stamp Duty Rules Change.
The previous budget decisions to raise the threshold for stamp duty from £60k to £120k and then to £125k has done little to help young people and first time buyers. The effect of these decisions was to increase demand for properties within the threshold which subsequently increased price inflation of proporties close to this new threshold (so offseting any marginal benefit).
I would like stamp duty to be restructured such that everyone who buys a house does not pay stamp duty on the first £100k of the purchase. If the tax was to be structured in a similar way to income tax bandings, it would not only be fairer, but would have less of an impact on house price inflation.

[william riley]

end council tax. increase threshold for payment of inheritance tax.change rules on pension funds so the money may be passed on to family.

[David Tipping]

He should stop raiding pension funds.
He should reintroduce a married couple's personal allowance.
He should start to restore the money he's been stealing from the pension funds for the last ten years (SOME HOPE!)

[John Blackmore]

I like stealth taxes and if others stopped to think they might also like them too. Be honest - nobody really likes to have their nose rubbed in it when it comes to paying. Most realise that tax has to be paid but just don't like being constactly reminded of it. So given a choice of more coming out of the wage packet or more being taken surreptitiously and I would say the stealthier the better.