SMMT statement: Budget 2015 - added info with the bands and associated costs.

On the 8th July, the Chancellor announced a new vehicle excise duty (VED) banding system for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017. First year rates will vary according to the vehicle’s CO2 emissions. 

There will be a flat standard rate of £140 for all cars for subsequent years, except those emitting 0g/km of CO2, for which the standard rate will be £0. 

Cars, including zero-emission cars, with a list price above £40,000 will be subject to a £310-per-year supplement for the first five years in which the standard rate is paid.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “We recognise the current VED system needs to be reformed and highlighted this in a recent report. The Chancellor’s Budget announcement on the regime came as a surprise and is of considerable concern. While we are pleased that zero-emission cars will, on the whole, remain exempt from VED, the new regime will be a disincentive to take up low emission vehicles. 

New technologies such as plug-in hybrid, the fastest growing ultra low emission vehicle segment, will not benefit from long-term VED incentive, threatening the ability of the UK and the UK automotive sector to meet ever stricter CO2 targets.

“The introduction of a surcharge on premium cars also risks undermining growth in UK manufacturing and exports. British-built premium cars are in increasing demand at home and globally, and the industry helps to support almost 800,000 jobs in the UK. Levelling a punitive tax on these vehicles will almost certainly impact domestic demand.”

New VED rates to apply to new cars registered on or after 1 April 2017

CURRENT RATES

New VED rates to apply to new cars registered on or after 1 April 2015

SMMT declares car thefts have dropped 70% in the last decade.

• Number of vehicles stolen in 2014 down 70% compared to 10 years previously.
• Vehicle theft at lowest point since 1968, as industry invests billions in security technology.
• Industry urges authorities to collect more detailed theft data to help fight against crime.

The number of vehicles stolen in England and Wales has fallen by 70% in the past decade, according to data released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Latest figures show 69,547 vehicles were stolen last year, compared to 231,323 in 2004. 

Vehicle theft fell by 1.2%, or 842 incidents, compared with 2013 and the crime is now at its lowest point since 1968. With more than 36 million vehicles on the road, today’s figures show that just 0.2% of all vehicles were stolen in 2014.

The continued reduction in vehicle theft follows a tireless effort by manufacturers to help make vehicles ever more secure. The industry invests billions of pounds each year to ensure it remains at the cutting edge of technology and stays ahead of criminals. The introduction of advanced security systems as standard equipment is also helping to make vehicles harder to steal.

To reduce theft rates further, the automotive industry is urging authorities to collect more detailed data about how vehicles are being stolen. There is currently little nationwide understanding of trends in types of vehicle theft because only a small number of police forces collect and analyse thisdata. This can lead to skewed public perceptions about the regularity of certain types of vehicle theft across the country.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Thanks to significant investments by car manufacturers in the latest security systems, vehicle thefts across England and Wales are at the lowest levels for decades. We are, however, calling for better tracking of how different vehicles are stolen so that we have an accurate understanding of how criminals are operating and can develop future technology to eradicate vehicle crime.”

Vehicle thefts since 2002

Since 1902, ONS has released data on the number incidents of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle as part of its quarterly crime statistics report, with data for all previous years from 1898 published by the Home Office.

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