We"ll be revealing the...
We"ll be revealing the some of the class results online over the next week, starting with the best supermini. If you can"t wait or need the full facts, seek out this week"s issue on the bookstalls.
It looks as though motorists...
It looks as though motorists are finally winning the fuel bill war!
The Government has buckled under mounting pressure from out-of-pocket drivers over record pump prices. One month ahead of schedule, itò€™s agreed to raise fixed business mileage rates by as much as three pence per mile.
HM Revenue and Customs originally promised to review its Advisory Fuel Rates for company drivers later this month, with any changes offset until July. But itò€™s now announced the early price hike with immediate effect!
A spokesman said
"In the light of extraordinary fuel price rises this year, the rates will be introduced on 1 June, rather than from 1 July as expected.ò€
Since business mileage rates were set in January, forecourt prices have soared by up to 20 per cent, according to the latest AA figures ò€“ hitting drivers hard. The breakdown firm says petrol prices have risen from 103ppl in January to nearly 116ppl now. And diesel is up from 108ppl to 129ppl in the same period. These respective hikes of 12 and 20 per cent have been matched by increases of up to 15 and 21 per cent in the new business mile rates (as explained in our table, right).
But the AA argues motorists using their own car for business are still out of pocket. Its spokesman said
ò€œTheir 40 pence per mile rate has been fixed since 2002, and needs at least a 2p rise to keep up with soaring costs.ò€