New calls for income tax rate cut for workers earning under £50,000

A new campaign is urging for a drastic reduction in the basic tax rate from 20% to 10% for earners under £50,000 annually.

Alongside this, there's a push for the Personal Allowance to be raised from £12,500 to an ambitious £15,000.

The petition, which can be found on the Petitions Parliament website, says: "We believe many are struggling financially. In our view, prices are too high, food and basic necessities cost too much, bills are increasing, people are having to choose between having a warm house or food.

"We believe young people can't afford to live independently as this could due to the current Personal Allowance. We believe the government needs to start thinking about the public and their needs."

Despite the Personal Allowance remaining stagnant at £12,570 since the onset of the 2021/22 fiscal year, an inflation-indexed increase has been proclaimed by the Government set for April 2028.

A similar petition previously took the internet by storm, amassing 281,792 signatures that called for raising the threshold to £20,000. This led to a spirited debate amongst MPs in Parliament just last month, reports the Daily Record.

But remember, tax landscapes vary across the union: Scotland brandishes a sextet of tax bands, contrasting with England's quartet.

Tax thresholds in England and Wales for 2025/26

• Personal Allowance - up to £12,570, 0%
• Basic Rate - £12,571 to £50,270, 20%
• Higher Rate - £50,271 to £125,140, 40%
• Additional Rate - over £125,140, 45%

Upon reaching 10,000 signatures, the petition will be eligible for a written response from the UK Government. If it garners 100,000 signatures, the Petitions Committee will consider it for debate in Parliament.

The petition can be viewed online here.

National Insurance deductions

A separate online petition is urging the UK Government to abolish National Insurance contribution deductions for workers aged over 60.

Currently, National Insurance Contributions (NICs) automatically cease being deducted from payslips when individuals reach the State Pension age, which is presently 66 but is set to increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028.

However, Mike Haynes, the creator of the petition, contends that exempting workers over 60 from paying National Insurance would "make it easier financially for older people to survive".

He further stated: "We are calling for this as many over-60s are struggling to survive due to what we believe has been incompetent government spending over the past 30 years."

The 'exempt workers over 60 from National Insurance payments' petition has been posted on the UK Government's Petitions Parliament website. Upon reaching 10,000 signatures, it will be entitled to a written response from the UK Government, likely The Treasury.

If it reaches 100,000 signatures, the Petitions Committee will consider it for debate in Parliament - you can read the full petition here.