The average tax rate faced by a typical person in work is the lowest it has been in over half a century

Original publisher’s rating

Because significant changes in types and rates of taxation have taken place over the last 50 years, the Prime Minister’s claim is difficult to independently corroborate over that period for individual workers. However, this appears to be correct according to Treasury analysis (partly based on data from the Office of National Statistics) of the spring budget in March in the specific circumstance of a “full-time median earner with no children and no interaction with the benefits system”. It also applies to other household demographics, when referring to direct taxation, but not when changes to benefits are taken into account.

Reviewed by PA Media ↗ · June 13, 2024