Business
Taxes hiked to ‘all-time high’ by Reeves as growth forecasts cut
- OBR apologises for publishing fiscal outlook early
- OBR: Tax thresholds freeze means more people will bay basic, higher and additional-rate taxes.
- New tax on £2m homes; mileage charge for electric vehicles; national insurance on salary sacrifice pension contributions above £2,000; changes to Isa rules
Rachel Reeves has announced tax rises amounting to £26 billion as she battles a downgrade in forecast economic growth.
More than 1.7 million people will face paying more income tax as she froze thresholds, meaning people will be dragged into paying the tax for the first time or shifted into higher bands as earnings increase.
The measures contribute to a tax burden that will rise to an “all-time high” in 2030/31.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast gross domestic product would grow by 1.5% this year, an increase from its earlier 1% forecast.
But it downgraded growth in 2026 from 1.9% to 1.4%, in 2027 from 1.8% to 1.5%, in 2028 from 1.7% to 1.5% and in 2029 from 1.8% to 1.5%.
In an unprecedented blunder, full details of Ms Reeves’s plans were published by the OBR more than half an hour before she stood up in the Commons chamber.
The OBR confirmed Rachel Reeves’s Budget “raises taxes by amounts rising to £26 billion in 2029/30, through freezing personal tax thresholds and a host of smaller measures”.
The freeze in thresholds will result in 780,000 more basic-rate, 920,000 more higher-rate, and 4,000 more additional-rate income tax payers in 2029/30. Scotland has a separate income tax system.
The policy, which applies to income tax and national insurance contributions, will rake in £8.3 billion for the Exchequer in 2029/30 and the freeze will extend to 2030/31.
Other personal tax changes include £4.7 billion through charging national insurance on salary-sacrificed pension contributions, and £2.1 billion through increasing tax rates on dividends, property and savings income by two percentage points.
Ms Reeves acknowledged the freeze in tax thresholds would hit “working people” – the group Labour had promised to protect – but she was “asking everyone to make a contribution”.
“I can keep that contribution as low as possible because I will make further reforms to our tax system today to make it fairer and to ensure the wealthiest contribute the most,” she said.
The combination of measures means that tax as a share of the economy – the tax-to-GDP ratio – will “increase to an all-time high of 38.3%” in 2030/31.
The Chancellor insisted the downgraded growth forecasts were “the Tories’ legacy, not Britain’s destiny” after the OBR lowered its expectations for productivity growth by 0.3 percentage points.
Measures in the Budget include:
– Changes to green levies will save £150 on the average household energy bill from April next year.
– The amount of headroom the Government has against the Chancellor’s day-to-day spending rule will widen to £21.7 billion in 2029/30, almost £12 billion more than in March.
– The 5p cut in fuel duty will remain in place until September 2026, when it will be reversed through a staggered approach.
– Drivers of battery electric cars will be hit by a 3p per mile tax from April 2028, with the charge to rise annually with inflation.
– The two-child benefit cap is being removed at an estimated cost of £3 billion by 2029/30.
– A high-value council tax surcharge on properties worth more than £2 million will raise £0.4 billion in 2029/30.
– Debt will rise from 95% of GDP this year to 96.1% by the end of the decade.
– Consumer Prices Index inflation is forecast to be 3.5% this year, higher than the 3.2% forecast in March, and 2.5% next year, higher than the 2.1% previously forecast, before settling at 2%.
– Unemployment is also forecast to be higher than previously forecast until 2029, peaking at 1.8 million next year.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the Budget was a “total humiliation” for Rachel Reeves and “if she had any decency she would resign”.
The OBR document is not meant to be released until after the Chancellor has delivered her Budget in the House of Commons.
But it was published on the Budget watchdog’s website early, the latest in a series of leaks and early disclosures in the run-up to Ms Reeves’s statement.
The OBR apologised, blaming a “technical error”.
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said it was an “utterly outrageous” leak of market-sensitive information, which could constitute a criminal act.
Ms Reeves said it was “deeply disappointing” and a “serious error on their part”.
Business
Asia stocks fall for third day, oil edges up as markets track Iran war
The conflict in the Middle East has rattled financial markets and global energy prices have soared.
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Petrol, Diesel Fresh Prices Announced: Check Rates In Your City On March 4
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Petrol, Diesel Price On March 4: Check City-Wise Rates Across India Including In Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

Petrol, Diesel Prices On March 4.
Petrol and Diesel Prices on March 4, 2026: OMCs update petrol and diesel prices daily at 6 AM, aligning them with fluctuations in global crude oil prices and currency exchange rates. This daily revision promotes transparency and ensures consumers have access to the most up-to-date and accurate fuel prices.
Petrol Diesel Price Today In India
Check city-wise petrol and diesel prices on March 4:
| City | Petrol (₹/L) | Diesel (₹/L) |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 94.72 | 87.62 |
| Mumbai | 104.21 | 92.15 |
| Kolkata | 103.94 | 90.76 |
| Chennai | 100.75 | 92.34 |
| Ahmedabad | 94.49 | 90.17 |
| Bengaluru | 102.92 | 89.02 |
| Hyderabad | 107.46 | 95.70 |
| Jaipur | 104.72 | 90.21 |
| Lucknow | 94.69 | 87.80 |
| Pune | 104.04 | 90.57 |
| Chandigarh | 94.30 | 82.45 |
| Indore | 106.48 | 91.88 |
| Patna | 105.58 | 93.80 |
| Surat | 95.00 | 89.00 |
| Nashik | 95.50 | 89.50 |
Key Factors Behind Petrol and Diesel Rates
Petrol and diesel prices in India have remained unchanged since May 2022, following tax reductions by the central and several state governments.
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) update fuel prices daily at 6 am, adjusting for fluctuations in global crude oil markets. While these rates are technically market-linked, they are also influenced by regulatory measures such as excise duties, base pricing frameworks, and informal price caps.
Key Factors Influencing Fuel Prices in India
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Crude Oil Prices: Global crude oil prices are a primary driver of fuel prices, as crude is the main input in petrol and diesel production.
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Exchange Rate: Since India relies heavily on crude oil imports, the value of the Indian rupee against the US dollar significantly affects fuel costs. A weaker rupee typically translates to higher prices.
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Taxes: Central and state-level taxes constitute a major portion of retail fuel prices. Tax rates vary across states, leading to regional price differences.
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Refining Costs: The cost of processing crude oil into usable fuel impacts retail prices. These costs can fluctuate depending on crude quality and refinery efficiency.
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Demand-Supply Dynamics: Market demand also influences fuel pricing. Higher demand can push prices up as supply adjusts to consumption trends.
How to Check Petrol and Diesel Prices via SMS
You can easily check the latest petrol and diesel prices in your city through SMS. For Indian Oil customers, text the city code followed by “RSP” to 9224992249. BPCL customers can send “RSP” to 9223112222, and HPCL customers can text “HP Price” to 9222201122 to receive the current fuel prices.
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March 04, 2026, 07:33 IST
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Gold Prices: Gold retreats on strong dollar after four-day rally – The Times of India
Gold slumped more than 5%, ending a four-day rally on Tuesday. The metal was weighed down by a stronger dollar and fading prospects of an interest rate cut as inflation concerns intensified against the backdrop of a potentially prolonged conflict in West Asia. Spot gold was down 5.6% at $5,029.59 an ounce whereas prices had hit an over four-week high in the previous session. US gold futures lost 5.1% to $5,041.50.The US dollar, a competing safe-haven asset, rose to an over one-month peak, making dollar-priced bullion less affordable for holders of other currencies. US Treasury yields rose for a second consecutive session.Indian bullion traders and associations are speculating that gold could attain Rs 2 lakh per 10 gm and silver may well scale Rs 3.5 lakh per kg if the conflict does not abate swiftly.Spot silver fell 11.2% to $79.42 an ounce after climbing to a more than four-week high on Monday. As the Iran conflict entered its fourth day, crude oil benchmarks jumped over 8% in response.
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