Fuel Duty Cut ‘Will Benefit Gas-Guzzling SUVs' Most

Campaigners have criticised Rishi Sunak for rejecting a windfall tax on oil and gas giants and instead announcing a “misguided” 5p fuel duty cut, which one campaigner says will most benefit the owners of “gas-guzzling SUVs”.

- Saphora Smith

The chancellor announced yesterday “the biggest cut to fuel duty rates ever” as part of measures in his spring statement to help people with the cost of living as inflation hits a 30-year high.

But environmental campaigners said the policy, due to be in place for a year, was ineffective and unfair and said a windfall tax could have helped hard-hit families far more.

Critics noted many of those on the lowest incomes did not own a car and warned the spring statement did nothing to help with the cost of public transport while it also risked putting off drivers from buying electric vehicles.

“A fuel duty cut gives more money back to the driver of an expensive gas-guzzling SUV than the average punter,” said Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK.

The chancellor should only cut fuel duty if he can make an equivalent cut to the costs of public transport which offers real support for those facing a cost of living crisis, he added.