UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Thursday 14 April 2011

Tax Dodgers Alliance , Lies & Mileage Rates‏

Chris Tansley responds angrily to a one sided BBC piece today based on a press release from those tax dodgers the Taxpayers Alliance. The story was about council workers' car mileage rates. http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/home/2011/04/tpa-research-council-mileage-spending.html

"I was appalled at your one sided acceptance of the Taxpayers Alliance totally inaccurate report on car allowances paid to local Government staff and think you need to be supplied with the facts.

1 The car allowances paid are set by an independent body which sets the amount based on all the costs of running a car. They are less than the AA estimates

2 The inland revenue rate is not 40p it went up to 45p on the 6th April. Even so it has remained at 40p for over 12 years despite the rising cost of fuel and other costs and is well below the actual cost of running a car

3 The amount paid to Local Authority staff is taxable at a rate dependent on the amount staff use their car. Low mileage users have virtually all their allowance clawed back in tax as it is deemed to be all profit

4 When staff get to 8,500 miles in any one year their allowance is halved

5 It's much cheaper for Local Authorities to pay staff to use their own cars than to supply them with cars so staff are in effect subsidising tax payers

You must know that the Tax payers alliance are the unofficial voice of the Tory Party who are on a mission to destroy public faith in public services are public sector workers

Can I ask how much the BBC pay their staff for using their cars?...."

Chris Tansley