Twice as many Britons want tax rises as want cuts, survey finds

Front facade of HM Treasury Building, Whitehall, London. The head of the IFS says a potential Labour government is more likely to soften debt rules than cut taxes. Photograph: Maurice Savage/Alamy

Twice as many Britons support tax increases to pay for public services as those who believe they should be reduced even if it means further public service cuts, according to new a report.

A study released by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, a research body set up by the fund manager, said the public are willing to support policies that they don’t think will benefit their own finances, despite almost two in five (39%) of households now classed as having serious financial difficulties. The number of households with finances in distress has increased by 2.9 million since the last election in 2019, when 28% were in that situation.