There was no increase to alcohol duty in the 2015 budget – but the previous two budgets (2013 and 2014) saw a total combined increase in duty of 20c on a Pint or a measure of Spirits and €1.50 on 75cl bottle of wine.
People tend to refer to alcohol price increases as one the old “reliables” when it comes to Budget day announcements – but prior to the increases in Budget 2013 the duty on beer hadn’t been increased since the Budget of January 1994 . Before Budget 2013 the duty on cider was last increased in Budget 2002 and on spirits in Budget 2003.
So – alcohol duty is not such an “old reliable” after all.
Rumours are that alcohol duty prices might rise slightly in the 2016 Budget – but we will not find out for certain until Budget day on October 13th 2015.
vat on home heating oil for pensioners ought tobe removed
Noel – that would be very hard to administer. Retailers would have to prove the age of the person they sold it to. It would be open to fraud. Anyway – the government will say they give help already to pensioners in the form of the household allowance and the winter fuel allowance.