Lancashire business group’s appeal for fuel tax breaks for care workers

The Blackpool headquartered Federation of Small Businesses has appealed for tax breaks for care workers who drive their own cars.
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The FSB said that social care workers who use their own cars to travel to clients’ homes should receive a higher approved mileage rate after 10,000 miles to help offset the travel costs they incur, especially at a time when fuel costs are spiking.

The latest fuel price data show that unleaded petrol costs 36.4p per litre and diesel costs 46.8p per litre more than this time last year. This is despite the 5p/litre cut in fuel duty announced in the recent Spring Statement.

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Melanie Ulyatt, national vice-chairman at the FSB, who runs a care business, said: “The continued rise in fuel prices is causing widespread financial problems among small businesses and sole traders of all stripes.

Melanie Ulyatt, national vice-chairman at the FSBMelanie Ulyatt, national vice-chairman at the FSB
Melanie Ulyatt, national vice-chairman at the FSB
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“One group of workers especially hard-hit by the eye-watering rises in petrol and diesel costs are social care workers who use their own vehicles to travel between client appointments.

“This group does incredibly important work with vulnerable people, but fuel price rises are in some cases making it uneconomical for them to work, especially if they are based in rural areas.

“We think the Government should step in to help, by keeping the approved mileage rate that social care workers can claim back from their taxes at 45p per mile after 10,000 miles, instead of tapering off to 25p per mile.

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“This would be a targeted intervention to help a group of people doing vital, often unsung work.

"The staggering forecourt rises are making social care workers’ already financially precarious situation even worse, and more than justify help from the Government to soften the impact.”