We do not republish articles from Daily Star. Our findings are below, each quoting the words it is about. Read the full article on the outlet's own site.
The Daily Star puts a £825 figure in its headline as a "car tax blow" hitting UK drivers. Its own body shows this is the full annual bill for the highest emissions band of older cars, a £35 rise, while the standard rate rises by £10. It also calls a routine inflation uprating, which it admits "was always on the cards", a deliberate hammering by Andy Burnham, in loaded language the figures do not support.
Headline goes beyond the article
Serious
“to hit UK drivers with £825 car tax blow”
Why this matters
The headline attaches "£825" to "UK drivers" and calls it a "car tax blow", as if the figure were the size of a new charge or rise facing motorists in general.
The impression it gives
UK drivers in general face an £825 car tax rise or bill within months.
The context
The Daily Star's own body says £825 is the total annual bill for Band M only, cars registered between 2001 and 2017 that emit over 255g/km of CO2. For those cars the rise is £35. For the standard rate on cars registered after 2017, the rise is £10, from £200 to £210.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“Band M vehicles emitting over 255g/km of CO2 will pay the most, with bills expected to rise from £790 to £825 next year in a £35 increase”
Elsewhere in the article“tipped to jump from £200 a year to £210 in a £10 hike”
Elsewhere in the article“owners of older vehicles registered between 2001 and 2017”
Car tax to rise with inflation from April 2027: the standard rate goes up £10 to £210, and the highest band for older, high-emission cars goes up £35 to £825.
Uses a loaded word
Minor
“Andy Burnham is set to hammer UK motorists”
Why this matters
"hammer" presents an automatic inflation uprating as a deliberate assault on motorists by Andy Burnham.
The impression it gives
Burnham has chosen to impose a heavy new tax hike on drivers.
The context
The article itself says the duty rises every year in line with RPI and that the rise "was always on the cards". The Treasury statement it quotes describes a standard uprating.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“the tax rises every 12 months in line with Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation”
Elsewhere in the article“uprate VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles in line with the Retail Prices Index”
“next year's eye-watering costs”
Why this matters
"eye-watering" describes rises that the article's own figures put at £10 for the standard rate and £35 for the top bands.
The impression it gives
The coming increases are dramatic.
The context
The figures the Daily Star reports show inflation-level rises of £10 to £35 a year.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“a £10 hike”
Elsewhere in the article“a £35 increase on the current £760 charge”