The UK is experiencing its highest overall tax burden since the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, a new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reveals. This surge in government revenue as a proportion of national income comes at a time when many individuals are paying lower marginal income tax rates than those seen in the 1980s or 1990s, creating a seeming paradox for the public.
The IFS attributes this rising tax take primarily to 'fiscal drag' – the government's policy of freezing tax thresholds and allowances rather than increasing them in line with inflation or earnings growth. As wages rise, more people are pushed into higher tax brackets or begin paying tax on a larger portion of their income, even if the headline tax rates themselves remain unchanged or have been reduced over time. This subtle mechanism generates significant additional revenue for the Exchequer without requiring explicit tax rate hikes.
For instance, while the basic rate of income tax is currently 20% and the higher rate 40%, lower than historical peaks, the personal allowance and the higher rate threshold have been frozen. This means that a growing number of individuals find themselves paying tax on income that would previously have been exempt or taxed at a lower rate. The report highlights that this approach makes the increasing tax burden less transparent to the public, as it does not involve prominent announcements of new taxes or rate increases.
Beyond income tax, other factors contributing to the elevated tax burden include increases in Corporation Tax, which rose from 19% to 25% for companies with profits over £250,000 in April 2023, and the freezing of the inheritance tax nil-rate band. National Insurance contributions also saw a temporary increase, though this has since been partially reversed. These cumulative policy decisions have collectively pushed the overall tax-to-GDP ratio to levels not seen in over 70 years.
The analysis from the independent economic think tank suggests that while the headline rates for many taxes may appear moderate, the cumulative effect of frozen thresholds and other less visible tax adjustments means that the UK government is extracting a larger share of the economy's output in taxes. This has significant implications for household finances and the broader economic landscape.