Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Income Tax and National Insurance Threshold Freeze

Tuesday 9 December 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Key points

  • Ministerial Questions addressed income tax and national insurance threshold freeze
  • The Chancellor's decision to continue the freeze on income tax thresholds was criticized
  • The Minister stated the government would reduce energy bills by 150 next year to support people

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Lamont Con Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Economy Taxation
Context

The Chancellor announced a continued freeze on income tax thresholds. Unison has stated that freezing personal income tax thresholds disproportionately impacts lower and middle-income workers.

Question

There seems to be only one word that the Chancellor understands: tax. Her decision to continue the freeze on income tax thresholds is a hammer blow to working people. Even the Chancellor’s favourite union, Unison, says freezing personal income tax thresholds disproportionately impacts lower and middle-income workers. Does the Chancellor agree with this?

Answer from The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)

I am a bit confused by that question. The hon. Member said there was one word that was important. Let me give him one figure: £150. That is the amount we are taking off energy bills next year to help people to deal with the cost of living in the here and now. We are supporting people because of the mistakes that previous Governments made by not investing in our energy infrastructure and not investing in our future. We are picking up the pieces after the Conservatives did not take the necessary decisions.

Not addressed: The exact impact on working people from continuing the freeze on income tax thresholds was avoided.

How: Changing Subject To Energy Bills, Blaming Previous Governments

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Q2 Ashley Fox Con Bridgwater
Taxation Benefits & Welfare
Context

Extending the freeze on income tax and national insurance thresholds will cost working families £900 a year. It will also drag many pensioners into paying income tax for the first time.

Question

Extending the freeze on income tax thresholds will cost working families £900 a year. It will also drag many pensioners into paying income tax for the first time. Why is the Minister hitting these low-income families to pay more for welfare?

Answer from The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)

I suggest the hon. Member asks his Front Benchers why 75% of the impact of people paying more tax at the lower end is the result of decisions made by the previous Government, who spent seven years freezing income tax thresholds. It is a bit rich for the Conservatives to talk about this Government doing it for three years when they did it for seven years.

Not addressed: The exact impact on low-income families from continuing the freeze was avoided.

How: Changing Subject To Previous Government'S Actions, Blaming Conservatives

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