We're sure many of you were aware that, back in September 2019, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) increased from £265 per year up to a whopping £2,135 – a result of emissions-based taxation classes. The National Caravan Council (NCC) immediately started its #fairmotorhometax campaign, putting forward the case that the latest Euro 6.2 engine was the cleanest yet, not to mention that motorhomes are often second vehicles so used considerably less often; the average motorhome will only cover around 6,000 miles per year.
We wrote to our local MP to push these points and ask that the increase be reconsidered. Meanwhile the NCC’s campaign to see the decision on rates overturned gained followers, with 85 cross-party MPs backing the campaign by March 2020. As of this spring, the motorhome community has won the case! New rates of VED are £270 on motorhomes with a payload up to 3500kg and £165 on motorhomes with a payload more than 3500kg, giving us the pleasure of decreasing the prices of our new motorhomes in line with the changes.
NCC Director General, John Lally, said: “We have had extraordinary support from Parliamentarians – too many to mention them all - but in particular Richard Holden MP, Sir David Amess MP, Emma Hardy MP, Karl Turner MP and David Davis MP. Rishi Sunak MP – prior to becoming Chancellor - had also indicated support. Alongside the NCC, its members and the wider industry, these MPs worked tirelessly to reverse this increase, knowing the impact it would have on British manufacturing, on jobs and, potentially, on UK tourism. We offer our thanks to all of them and to the media, who highlighted how unfair the tax was.”