Healey cuts tariffs on marmalade and gherkins to ease cost-of-living pressure

Chancellor John Healey has announced a pre-Budget package of 'everyday fixes' aimed at easing household costs, including the removal of import tariffs on marmalade, gherkins, and over 100 other products ^[1]. The move, which targets items deemed 'family favourites', could save households up to £21 annually when combined with existing tariff suspensions on goods like pasta, fruit juice, and tuna.

Marmalade will see its 20% tariff and £19 per 100kg charge lifted, while other measures include making the 55p per mile tax-free mileage rate permanent for work travel up to 10,000 miles, with rates rising to 35p beyond that ^[1]. Carers will now be able to earn more without losing their entire allowance, replacing the previous hard earnings cap with a taper mechanism.

Self-employed fathers will also gain access to two weeks of paternity pay, previously unavailable to them, potentially worth up to £194 ^[1]. The government is rolling out hundreds of new Post Office drop boxes to improve parcel delivery convenience.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said these changes address 'the everyday problems that cost people money or simply aren’t fair', citing nurses, new parents, and unpaid carers as key beneficiaries ^[1]. He stressed that while global events like the wars in Ukraine and Iran have driven up costs, the government can still act where it can make a difference.

The Conservatives dismissed the package as an 'insult to families hammered by Labour's tax rises', arguing that higher borrowing costs, taxes, and inflation have already erased any gains ^[1]. Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith said shoppers face rising prices, making 'cheaper gherkins' a hollow gesture.

The full Budget is still pending, but these measures signal a focus on immediate, tangible relief for households amid economic uncertainty ^[1]. The story was first reported by BBC News.