After research and surveys, the results of the gap between the rich and poor in the UK, seems to be getting wider after findings of the impact of fuel duty has on families at either end of the spectrum. Fuel related tax amounted to 3.4% of the total income per household for those who are less wealthy, while only 2.8% is spent for those as average earners and a mere 1.9% for the richer people in the UK.
As around 60p in every pound we spend is tax, and the possibility of an extra 3p tax in the new year, which is still be talked about in the House of Commons, it seems that motorists are being priced off the roads by the Government that relies so much on those taxes to fund other things. The results only showed the money that was spent on taxation, rather than the total amount spent on fuel itself, which would differ as the wealthier tend to use more fuel than those with less of an annual income. The richer families spend around £1,062 while the poorer families only spend £365, but it’s the percentage of income that is the most draining for those less fortunate.
Richer families tend to drive further than poorer families, to visit holiday homes, attractions and other out of the way sights. With fuel costs rising and the job cuts, losses or uncertainty being present, the future looks worse for poor UK families. For example, the unemployment rates are at the highest level since 1996, at 8.3%. With the winter with us, gas and electric bills are higher also, and vehicles are more likely to breakdown in the winter, families around the country are snapping up breakdown cover from major suppliers and even supermarkets that offer roadside assistance as well as European cover.
