Fuel duty hope for rural Cumbria

HOMES and businesses in a remote part of Cumbria could be in line for a 5p per litre cut in fuel duty, the Treasury has said.

The Government has submitted an application to the European Commission  to extend the rural fuel rebate scheme to 10 more towns – seven in Scotland and three in England, including Kirkby-in-Furness  in Cumbria, postcode: LA17.

In line with European Union law, the UK now needs to secure approval for the expanded scheme from the EC.

A final decision on the areas in the scheme and the price discount is expected from the EC next year. If the extension is approved this will raise the number of people benefitting from the rural fuel scheme to nearly 120,000.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: “We’ve already delivered a tax cut for remote islands and now want to extend that to mainland rural areas that suffer from similarly high prices to the islands.

“We have put together the strongest possible evidence base to try and maximise the places that get it. As I’ve said before, it won’t be easy to get this agreed with the Commission, but I will do everything I can to make this happen.”