Andy Burnham’s £140 car tax rule change - starts in April 2027

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Andy Burnham’s £140 car tax rule change - starts in April 2027 Andy Burnham will introduce a range of new VED car tax changes from next spring as officials confirm another next inflationary rise. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Luke Chillingsworth , Cars Reporter 05:01, Fri, Nov 6, 2026 Andy Burnham is set to hit drivers with VED car tax updates (Image: Getty) Andy Burnham is set to oversee new car tax bands from April 2027, with Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) fees set to change.

VED charges are mandatory fees paid by almost all petrol, diesel and electric car owners to stay on the road. The rates tend to change every year in line with Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation, with Treasury officials confirming that rates will be updated in 2027. The news has allowed experts to weigh in on what it all could mean, with specialists from Pete Barden suggesting how much bills could rise. Standard VED fees for cars registered after 2017 are likely to increase from £200 to £210 per annum, with first-year rates and older cars also hit with new bands.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Vans are also in the firing line, with models not meeting early Euro 4 and Euro 5 compliant regulations facing an increase of £15 per year. This is likely to see bills increase from £360 per annum to £375 per year in a blow to cash-strapped owners. However, the £15 increase is identical to the previous VED rise, with prices increasing from £345 earlier this year. The Treasury said: “The Government will uprate VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) from April 1, 2027.”

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You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . But it’s not all bad news, with Pete Barden revealing that vans which do meet Euro 4 and Euro 5 standards, as well as pre-2011 electric vans, will not face any price hikes next April. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Andy Burnham’s new £210 car tax rule change – starts in April 2027 Older drivers forced to 'give up driving' at 75 due to one rule | Express.co.uk Van owners are also affected by VED car tax fees (Image: Getty) Despite increases elsewhere, these rates are expected to remain at the current £140 per year tax charge for another year in a slight boost for motorists already struggling with rising running costs.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Fees were at the £140 level in the 2024/25 tax year, with some van owners able to take advantage of the decision. However, only more modern vans hitting the road within the last 15 years are likely to enjoy the frozen rate. Euro 5 emissions standards were fitted into most commercial vans manufactured from 2011 onwards. See more of the stories you love from Daily Express and find us easily in Google by making us a Preferred Source.

Free and easy-to-do, just click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. Andy Burnham Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments

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What we found (3)

The Express puts "£140 car tax rule change" in its headline when its own body says £140 is the van rate that stays frozen next April. It also presents an automatic annual inflation uprating, which it reports as the Treasury's routine practice, as a new set of changes Andy Burnham will introduce, and dresses a £10 to £15 rise in words like "hit drivers" and "in the firing line".

Headline goes beyond the article
Serious
“Andy Burnham’s £140 car tax rule change”
Why this matters
The headline ties the figure £140 to a "rule change" made by Andy Burnham.
The impression it gives
A reader believes car tax is changing to £140, or by £140, under a new rule from Burnham.
The context
The body says £140 is the rate for compliant vans that will not change next April. It says these rates are expected to stay at the current £140 for another year. The changes the body does report are small inflation rises, for example £200 to £210 for cars and £360 to £375 for some vans.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“expected to remain at the current £140 per year tax charge for another year”
- Elsewhere in the article“will not face any price hikes next April”
Show it in the article
Written straight
Car tax to rise with inflation from April 2027, while rates for compliant vans stay frozen at £140.
Presents routine indexation as a new policy
Minor
“Andy Burnham will introduce a range of new VED car tax changes”
Why this matters
The words "will introduce a range of new VED car tax changes" present the rises as fresh measures brought in by Burnham.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the Prime Minister has designed new car tax changes.
The context
The Express itself says the rates change every year in line with RPI inflation. The Treasury statement it quotes describes only an uprating in line with RPI.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“The rates tend to change every year 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”
Show it in the article
“set to oversee new car tax bands”
Why this matters
The phrase "new car tax bands" suggests the band structure itself is being redrawn.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the government is creating new tax bands.
The context
The article reports only that existing rates rise with inflation, and that some van rates stay the same. It describes no new band.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“Treasury officials confirming that rates will be updated in 2027”
Show it in the article
Uses a loaded word
Minor
“Andy Burnham is set to hit drivers with VED car tax updates”
Why this matters
The verb "hit" casts a routine inflation uprating as an attack on drivers by a named politician.
The impression it gives
A reader believes Burnham is targeting drivers with a punitive measure.
The context
The article's own figures show a £10 rise for standard car rates, in line with RPI as in most years.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“likely to increase from £200 to £210 per annum”
Show it in the article
“in a blow to cash-strapped owners”
Why this matters
The phrase "a blow to cash-strapped owners" adds a verdict of hardship to a £15 annual rise.
The impression it gives
A reader believes van owners face an unusual, damaging increase.
The context
The Express itself says the £15 rise is identical to the previous year's.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“the £15 increase is identical to the previous VED rise”
Show it in the article

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Andy Burnham’s £140 car tax rule change - starts in April 2027

Headline goes beyond the article

Presents routine indexation as a new policy

Uses a loaded word

More from Daily Express