Tobacco and alcohol tax receipts fall at their sharpest rate in 20 years

THE latest analysis by finance experts, RIFT, has shown that the combined HMRC receipts received for both tobacco and alcohol duties declined at their sharpest annual rates in 2 decades last year.

With alcohol and tobacco duties having only trended upwards during the same period, the futures suggest that we're drinking and smoking less. However, the £22.4bn paid in alcohol and tobacco duties during 2022/23 was still the second highest annual sum seen over the last 20 years.

RIFT analysed the latest data from HMRC on tobacco and alcohol receipts (December 2023) for the financial year 2022/23, how the tax paid on both has changed over the last 20 years, and how it compares to the cost incurred by the NHS for both smoking and drinking related healthcare issues.

The analysis shows that just over £10bn was taken in tobacco duties by HMRC in the 2022/23 financial year. While this was the second highest total seen over the last 2 decades with the exception of the previous year, it marked a -2.7% year on year reduction which was the third sharpest annual decline seen in 20 years.

During the same period (2022/23), £12.4bn was paid in alcohol duty, which again, was the highest total seen in the last 20 years other than 2021/2022. However, the -5.1% reduction on this previous 20 year high was the steepest annual decline seen in a single year over the last 2 decades.

As a result, a total of £22.4bn was paid in duty on alcohol and tobacco products last year and while substantial, the -4% year on year drop marked the largest annual reduction seen in the last 2 decades. It was also only the fourth year in the last 20 years that the combined duty paid on tobacco and alcohol has seen a reduction.

Interestingly, in 2003/04, tobacco duties accounted for 52% of the combined total paid in receipts to HMRC, while today, this balance has shifted, with alcohol now accounting for 55%.

Of course, neither smoking or drinking are good for our health and additional research by RIFT has estimated that healthcare costs associated with smoking cost the NHS an estimated £3.4bn a year.

It's also thought that the cost associated with alcohol related healthcare issues cost the NHS £4.1bn per year.

Combined, that's a cost of almost £7.5bn per year due to smoking and drinking related issues.

While substantial in its own right, it equates to a third of the total tax receipts received by HMRC on tobacco and alcohol duties during the 2022/23 financial year, highlighting just how much is made on the sale of both products.

Bradley Post, MD of RIFT, commented:- "Smoking and drinking alcohol are 2 of the main vices that many of us look to abstain from in January as we look to start the new year on a positive note. However, it certainly seems as though more of us have chosen to do so over the last year, with tax receipts on both falling at their sharpest rate in 20 years, despite the duty charged having only increased, even with some adjustments and intermittent freezes. This reduction is certainly a positive when you consider the cost incurred by the NHS as a result of smoking and drinking related issues. That said, both tobacco and alcohol receipts still remain at their second highest levels in the last 2 decades, pulling in around 3 times the estimated cost to the health service. Of course, another important caveat to note is the rise of e-cigarettes, which aren't currently subject to the same duties as tobacco products, although this could be soon to change. As a relatively new phenomenon, it's not yet known just how many people are opting to vape, or what effect this will have on the NHS in the coming years."

Campaign to suspend Israel from international sports attracts over 33,000 supporters

A petition by Pan European movement DiEM25 demanding the immediate suspension of Israel from all international sports has gathered over 33,000 signatures within a week. The campaign demands that global and European sports governing bodies immediately uphold their statutory obligations and their own rules on human rights and non-discrimination, given Russian, South African and other precedents. Campaigners say that this would include:- inter alia, a ban on Israel competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, UEFA's European Championship and FIFA's World Cup.

The petition follows the model that helped bring an end to apartheid within South Africa. That struggle took on all possible dimensions, with 1 of the earliest being suspension of sporting ties which aided in peacefully isolating the South African regime, demonstrated a global rejection of apartheid and changed domestic perspectives in the country.

Campaigners say that:- "This act must now be extended to Israel not only due to its practice of settler colonialism, military occupation, ethnic cleansing, genocide, apartheid and illegal exploitation of natural resources on occupied territories, but also due to its brutal assault on:- cultural, academic and sporting life of the Palestinian society."

Quote by Dr. Kat Pijetlovic, an expert on international and European sports law, and an author of the full letter linked to the DiEM25 petition that she co-organised:- "The Israeli offensive on Gaza and the decades of apartheid, occupation, and Palestinian suffering prior to it, has been ignored by the sports governing bodies. The International Olympic Committee, FIFA, UEFA and FIBA, have been completely silent on the issue, yet they published their statements of condemnation the same day when Russia invaded Ukraine and suspended Russia only 4 days later. This sends a clear message that the lives of Palestinian athletes and the development of Palestinian sports do not matter to them at all, and neither do their own statutory obligations on non-discrimination and human rights. This is why we must organise and put pressure on them; the head in the sand approach is no longer acceptable and organising global boycotts by multiple organisations is likely to follow if they fail to suspend Israel."

Quote by Yanis Varoufakis, Co-Founder of DiEM25:- "A key sanction that helped demoralise the racists in charge of Apartheid South Africa, and brought down their Apartheid regime, was the exclusion of South African teams and athletes from all international sporting facilities for as long as the blacks had no rights and faced a different set of punitive legislation than the dominant ethnic group. The same must apply to Israel. Israeli supremacists think it is OK for Palestinians to have no rights and to be subject to punitive administrative and legal rules in Israel proper and in the occupied territories. They think that they can circulate within the world community, and participate in sporting events, as if Apartheid at home is fine and the world does not care. It is imperative that the international community demonstrates to them that, no, Apartheid is not fine. It is high time Israel is banned from all international sporting events until Israel ends its Apartheid regime, just like white supremacist South Africa was."

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Barnardo's research aims to end misconceptions in Merseyside about becoming a foster carer

RESEARCH commissioned by children's charity Barnardo's has revealed that the campaign to recruit new foster carers in the North West is being hampered by a number of pre-conceived notions about what it takes to become a foster carer.

A YouGov poll carried out for the charity reveals that almost ½ of respondents (46%) who haven't considered fostering in the North West, believe they are too old to become a foster carer, even though there is no upper age limit on becoming one.

The poll also revealed that nearly 3 quarters of adults (74%) in the North West are worried there aren't enough foster carers to give children safe and loving homes; but only 4% of respondents in the Region would consider fostering a child in the next 5 years, according to the new data.

Brenda Farrell, Director of Fostering at Barnardo's said:- "We know there are people across this Region who would love to foster, but believe things like their age, financial situation, or because they have biological children, would prevent them from doing so. We want to bust these myths, as we believe that any loving person can make a wonderful foster carer. There is no upper age limit and fostering can be a hugely beneficial experience for the entire family, including birth children. At Barnardo's we offer support and training every step of the way."

The number of children in care across England is at a record high, with more than 83,000 children and young people needing a safe home, but despite this, there are fewer and fewer people willing to foster.

In a recent You Gov poll for the charity, when asked why people wouldn't consider becoming foster carers, 82% of those polled aged over 55 in the UK thought they were:- "too old," whilst more than a 3rd of those aged between:- 25 and 44 ,said they already have children or want children that are biologically connected to them, and so didn't consider it an option (34%).

Brian, 69, and Jean, 62, are foster carers with Barnardo's and have welcomed 9 children into their home over the past 12 years.

Brian said:- "You have a chance to change these children's lives. There are lots of very important roles in society, but we have found that for us, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a child, giving them opportunities, and to help them to reach their full potential."

Jean added:- "Age is just a number and I wish we'd started fostering earlier in life. I'm learning all the time from the children and although we've decided to do this long-term, if you're considering being a foster carer, there are lots of other options like short-term foster care, short breaks and emergency fostering. Anyone can foster a child. It's OK to have questions and worries because there's always someone at Barnardo's who will listen to you. It doesn't matter if you're going through a divorce, if you're a single parent, if you don't own a home; with fostering there's nothing to lose and everything to gain. Brian and I are just normal people helping a few children find their way. I say if you're still fit and healthy, what are you waiting for?"

As part of Barnardo's annual Fostering Focus campaign, Brian and Jean are encouraging anyone who has ever considered fostering, to get in touch with Barnardo's.

To find out more about fostering with Barnardo's North West, who have been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, please visit:- Barnardos.Org.UK, or call:- 08000277280. The charity's lines are open from:- Monday to Friday, between:- 9am and 5pm.