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Budget bad for small business says FSB poll

Most small businesses will be negatively affected by Budget increases in fuel and alcohol duty.
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30 November 1999

Filling up with fuel
Small business: fuel duty hit

Most small businesses will be negatively affected by Budget increases in fuel and alcohol duty.

That’s the result of a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The poll of more than 300 firms showed that entrepreneurs heavily criticised the Chancellor’s Budget.

Nearly 80% of small businesses estimated that the 2p rise in fuel duty would adversely impact their business. And 71% estimated it would cost them up to £30 extra a week.

Almost a third said the 2p increase in alcohol duty would have a negative consequence – at a time when five pubs are closing each day.

Almost 70% of small businesses said the Budget had not supported small businesses. And over a third (38%) said it would ‘quite negatively’ affect their business.

There was some good news. Over a quarter (29%) of business owners welcomed investment in building projects and also welcomed the extension of the scheme for loss making companies to reclaim tax on profits.

John Walker, national policy chairman, FSB, commented: “Small businesses are the engine room of the British economy. But they have been choked by the Budget with increases in fuel and alcohol duty incurring extra costs and little to help small firms struggling with cashflow.

“This survey shows that the Chancellor’s Budget could have gone much further to support small firms. We will be meeting with officials to ensure they do more to help small firms create and retain jobs and can survive and grow in these difficult times,” he added.

Fuel duty rise impacts on small business

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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