Andy Burnham's government hitting drivers with new £375 car tax rule change in months

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.3 findings

Andy Burnham will be overseeing fresh Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) car tax changes within months, with UK motorists set to be hit with £375 bills. VED rates go up annually in line with Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation, and 2027 is shaping up to be no exception, with Treasury bosses having already confirmed planned increases. Charges are anticipated to climb across the board for petrol , diesel and electric vehicle drivers, with rises in standard VED rates, first-year charges and even for older motors.

But van drivers are also in the crosshairs, with experts warning fees could jump by as much as £15 per year. Analysis from Pete Barden suggests vans registered on or after March 2001 are set to face steeper costs when the alterations take effect . Early Euro 4 and Euro 5 compliant vans and pre-2011 electric vans will fork out £140 to use the road, but all other vans will now be slapped with a £375 charge from April 1, up from the existing £360 fee.

However, VED inflation for van drivers hasn't shifted, with motorists facing a £15 hike earlier this spring when rates jumped from £345 to £360 annually. The Treasury confirmed planned VED price increases in its Budget report, which was published shortly after John Healey's statement last week. The report stated: "The Government will uprate VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) from April 1, 2027."

The news delivers yet another hammer blow to van owners who are already grappling with mounting challenges in 2026. Soaring petrol and diesel prices are heaping enormous pressure on tradespeople and workers who depend on their vehicles for their livelihoods. Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK, previously issued a stark warning that a typical small van covering 20,000 miles annually would likely face an extra £360 bill in fuel costs due to the price surges.

He cautioned that a small business operating three vans could be shelling out an additional £1,000 or more each year in fuel expenses alone.

Read the original article on dailystar.co.uk

What we found (3)

The Daily Star tells readers that car drivers face a new £375 car tax rule. Its own body shows £375 is the standard van rate after a routine inflation rise of £15, under a rule that applies every year. The article then calls that £15 rise a hammer blow.

Headline goes beyond the article
Serious
“hitting drivers with new £375 car tax rule change”
Why this matters
The words "new £375 car tax rule change" present a fresh rule that charges car drivers £375.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the government has brought in a new rule and that car owners will pay a £375 car tax bill.
The context
The body says VED rises every year with RPI inflation, so no rule has changed. The £375 figure is the rate for most vans, not cars, and it is up £15 from £360.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“VED rates go up annually in line with Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation”
- Elsewhere in the article“all other vans will now be slapped with a £375 charge from April 1, up from the existing £360 fee”
Show it in the article
Written straight
VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles will rise with inflation from April 2027 under the usual annual uprating, taking the standard van rate from £360 to £375.
Uses figures that mislead
Serious
“with UK motorists set to be hit with £375 bills”
Why this matters
The phrase "UK motorists set to be hit with £375 bills" gives the full annual van charge as the size of the hit to all motorists.
The impression it gives
A reader believes motorists generally face a new or extra cost of £375.
The context
The article's own figures show £375 is the total yearly charge for most vans, and the increase is £15. It gives no car rates at all.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“up from the existing £360 fee”
- Elsewhere in the article“fees could jump by as much as £15 per year”
Show it in the article
Written straight
Van owners will see the standard VED rate rise by £15, from £360 to £375, from April 2027.
Uses a loaded word
Minor
“yet another hammer blow”
Why this matters
The Daily Star calls the rise "yet another hammer blow" in its own voice.
The impression it gives
A reader believes van owners face a heavy new charge.
The context
The rise the article describes is £15 a year, an inflation uprating applied every year.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“up from the existing £360 fee”
Show it in the article
“van drivers are also in the crosshairs”
Why this matters
The words "in the crosshairs" suggest the government is singling out van drivers.
The impression it gives
A reader believes van drivers are being deliberately targeted.
The context
The Budget text the article quotes uprates cars, vans and motorcycles alike in line with RPI.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“uprate VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles in line with the Retail Prices Index”
Show it in the article

Spot something we missed? Report this article

More from Daily Star

Everything we scored from Daily Star

Andy Burnham's government hitting drivers with new £375 car tax rule change in months

Headline goes beyond the article

Uses figures that mislead

Uses a loaded word

More from Daily Star