Categories: uncategorized
Date: 02 December 2004 18:35:08
Things Gordo said to make the festive season a little cheerier:
*Fuel duty won't go up...
*£105m is being released to boost counter terrorism and enhance surveillance at ports. This can be seen in one of two ways: 1)you'll be more safe from the meanies with bombs this christmas or 2) don't put too much booze in the boot of your car during those day-trips to France cos The Man will see everything, man...
*Pensioners over 70 will receive an additional £50 payment as part of the winter fuel allowance, giving a total of £250. And pensioners aged over 80 will receive a total of £350. (Although it has been pointed out that this one-off payment works out less than what they received last year)...
*Council Tax will be "pegged back". Apparently money will given to councils will be reallocated from some central government departments. No more chocolate biccies at teatime for them then...
Okay, so pre-budget reports which look more like full-on Budgets (the elections are coming up after all) aren't that festive but then, as Tesco tells us, every little helps.
More information (where most of this was taken from) at The Times Online and The Beeb which has a good article entitled "What Does The Pre-Budget Report Mean For You?"
23 sleeps to go!