WHITE Van Man Dan Ware is today leading calls for the Chancellor to abandon a tax raid on thousands of toiling drivers.
The Sun’s working champion joins Tory MPs in demanding Jeremy Hunt axes the “Transit Tax” hikes on van drivers buried in this week’s Autumn Statement.
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He is raising the Van Benefit Charge to nearly £800 a year for the average basic rate income tax payer — an extra £72 whack.
For higher rate payers the levy will rise to £1,584, an extra £144.
The hike will raise the tax income from £5million to £15million.
The charge is for anyone who is allowed to use a company van for private use — such as dropping off their kids or doing the shopping.
Dan said: “White van men like me are already paying through the nose without slapping us with extra charges. It won’t be long before they’ve bled us dry.
“We are really struggling with soaring petrol prices and insurance costs.
It’s getting to the stage where I can’t afford to pay more.”
Tory MP Greg Smith agreed, saying: “It’s imperative of the government not to get in the way of hard working people making a living.”
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Mr Smith also told the Chancellor to keep fuel duty frozen in the Spring Budget amid fears it may rise by 12p under current assumptions.
But Mr Hunt told LBC it is “wrong to assume that we are going to increase fuel duty because we have not made a decision on that”.
Car sales website Auto Trader said: “Van drivers must be wondering what the Chancellor has against them.
“Hitting them with a tax at a time when the economy is heading into recession is the last thing they need.”
