I'm fuming over rise in petrol duty

Published on Saturday 25 April 2009 15:27

NEW homebuyers Cat Rintoul and her partner Russell Nelson found nothing in the Budget to help them cut their bills. On the contrary, they expect to be badly hit by the increase in fuel duty, writes Teresa Hunter.

They both work and have no children, so there were no giveaways for them. But Cat, 19, who works for Thomas Cook, is worried about the increase in petrol duty as this is one of her biggest bills. She also enjoys an occasional drink, so will have to cut back there too.

She said: "I have to drive to work because there is no public transport. When fuel went up recently my petrol costs went up by 30 a month, which was a lot of extra money to find.

"It seems unfair that when they want to put up taxes they put it on something which people have no choice but to buy if they want to go to work and there is no alternative means of transport."

She is also disappointed that so little was done to help young homebuyers trying to become independent. She was hoping the Government would announce a new scheme offering an interest-free loan to give a helping hand to those setting out on the housing ladder.

She said: "We've seen the end of 100% mortgages so buyers have to get a sizeable deposit. I think an interest-free loan from the Government toward the deposit would really help first-time buyers."