Huge generational split over government £12bn tax hike plans, according to poll

Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Boris Johnson arriving at No 9 Downing Street
PA Wire

A huge generational split was laid bare on Tuesday over backing for the Government’s £12 billion tax grab to boost the Covid-hit NHS and to fix the social care crisis.

A snap YouGovpoll showed 44 per cent of adults in Britain support hiking National Insurance contributions by 1.25 percentage points as part of a new tax package to increase funding for the health service and social care.

However, the more detailed figures show just 26 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds back the tax rise, with 47 per cent against it.

For people aged 65 and over, the divide is 68 per cent in favour and 23 per cent against.

Asked how fair do you think it is to people like you to raise extra funds for the NHS and social care by raising National Insurance and dividend taxes, just 22 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said it was “fair, with 62 per cent believing it is “unfair”.

The findings show the respective “fair” and “unfair” figures for 25 to 49-year-olds were 32 per cent to 54 per cent, for 50 to 64-year-olds 44 per cent and 51 per cent, and for the 65 and over 60 per cent to 30 per cent, almost exactly the opposite for the youngest age group.

Just over half, 53 per cent, of Britons say it was unacceptable to break manifesto commitments on National Insurance with 32 per cent thinking it was acceptable.

Just under six in ten Conservative voters support the tax rise, with slightly more than a third opposed, while a third of Labour backers are in favour of it, with 55 per cent against.

* YouGov surveyed 1,869 adults in Great Britain online on Tuesday

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