IFS director warns of 'months of speculation' over Autumn tax rises

Likely that taxes could be raised further, thinktank director warns

Sahar Nazir
clock • 2 min read

The government could face months of economic uncertainty and market speculation over potential tax rises ahead of an anticipated Autumn Budget, according to Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) director Paul Johnson.

Johnson highlighted the limited fiscal headroom available to chancellor Rachel Reeves, warning that any economic downturn in the coming months could force further tax increases. "There is a good chance that economic and fiscal forecasts will deteriorate significantly between now and an Autumn Budget," Johnson said. "If so, she will need to come back for more; which will likely mean raising taxes even further." He pointed to the risks of prolonged speculation over which taxes could be targeted, citing pensions, wealth, and capital gains tax as potential areas of concern. "With no se...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

From the annual review to the 'always on' adviser/client relationship

From the annual review to the 'always on' adviser/client relationship

'Regular reviews will still play an important role, but clients' lives do not follow a servicing calendar'

Tessa Lee
clock 28 July 2026 • 4 min read
Number of British millionaires drops to lowest level since 2008

Number of British millionaires drops to lowest level since 2008

Estimated number of 442,000

Sophia Panayi
clock 28 July 2026 • 3 min read
Tessa Lee: The invisible cost of poor client data

Tessa Lee: The invisible cost of poor client data

How can you improve data quality?

Tessa Lee
clock 23 July 2026 • 4 min read