SMOKERS will have to cough up more money as cigarette prices are set to increase in March 2023.
The increase of tobacco tax, set to be enforced by chancellor Jeremy Hunt, will be its biggest ever price hike.
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When will cigarettes go up in price?
Industry insiders are preparing for taxes on cigarettes to increase with inflation at the March 15 Budget.
Even the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) group said they were disappointed about the manner of Hunt’s possible tax increase, suggesting it won’t deter smokers.
The price is expected to increase by 12.7% RPI – plus an extra minimum 2% bump applied to tobacco products, meaning a 15% increase.
The Retail Price Index (RPI) is a measurement of inflation that is still published because it is used to calculate cost of living and wage escalation.
Of course nothing is confirmed yet and we’ll have to wait until the Budget to see if this is the case. The Government could still keep it the same as it is now.
How much will a packet of cigarettes cost?
A pack of 20 cigarettes is set to go up by £1.15.
A 30g pack of tobacco for hand-rolled cigarettes would increase by £2 in line with the rate of inflation.
The last time cigarette prices were increased was in October 2021.
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At the time, 88p was added to the most expensive pack -which saw an increase from £12.73 to just over £13.60.
Why are cigarettes going up in price?
It usually increases with inflation each year unless the Chancellor intervenes to freeze the rates.
This is what Rishi Sunak did in his Spring 2022 budget, when he was chancellor in Boris Johnson’s cabinet.
Taxing tobacco is a huge revenue-raiser for the Government, with £10.7billion collected in 2022 , which was 1.2% of the total tax take.
The tax is charged to companies making or importing cigarettes in the UK.
When the tax is raised, the cost is passed on to consumers who have to pay more for tobacco products in the shops.
Ministers are currently aiming to make Britain “smoke free” by 2030, meaning fewer than 5% of adults have the habit.
The hope is that with the ever-increasing price, it will deter people from buying them.
