.The big dEE .

14.1.25

LONDON: Labour peer baroness Twycross defended the government’s tax rise on charities in the house of lords on monday.

“I know that ministers have met voluntary sector representatives and are aware of the sector’s concerns. There are other measures within the suite of the tax regime, including exemptions from business rates [for charities] for example, that are among the most generous of anywhere in the world,” Twycross said.

Liberal democrat peer baroness Grender said the same money could be better found where it is abundant: the banks. “Can the minister explain why this Government have decided to tax charities through national insurance contributions and yet to persist at the same time with the Conservative Government’s unfair tax relief to banks,” Grender said, referring to reductions in bank surcharge levies, in place since 2016.

“Why not return those taxes to 2016 levels, stop this tax rise on charities and tax the banks instead?” she added.

“I appreciate the sector’s concern, but regrettably, as part of the Autumn Budget, the Government had to take a number of difficult decisions on tax and welfare spending,” Twycross replied.