Green taxes account for only 6% of total tax take

The government raised only £40.8bn through ‘green taxes’ last year which is just 6% out of the £633bn collected through taxes overall down from 8% of all taxes ten years ago according to research by Pinsent Masons.

The amount of money brought in by green taxes has risen only 19% since 2009-10 compared to a 53% rise in taxes as whole.

Jason Collins head of tax at Pinsent Masons said: ‘The statistics suggest that far from making progress in using tax policy to reduce polluting activity the UK has been going backwards. Taxation will play a vital role in driving the UK to its net zero target. The shrinking share of revenue brought in by green taxes is evidence that the government isn’t yet doing enough to discourage polluting behaviour.’

The approach to environmental taxes is currently ‘not enough stick and not enough carrot’ said Mr Collins...