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Chancellor must phase-in any major tax rises over several years to minimise impact, ICAEW says

Author: ICAEW

Published: 04 Nov 2025

Iain Wright, ICAEW Chief Policy and Communications Officer, responded to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s speech this morning:

“We’ve consistently urged the Chancellor not to increase business taxes for the rest of this parliament to give firms the certainty, confidence and resources to invest and grow. If tax increases are absolutely necessary, as she alluded to this morning, then a new approach to fiscal policy and planning is needed. It would be a mistake later this month to implement big changes in one go, as demonstrated by the fallout from the previous Budget. Recent experience shows a big bang approach to tax rises leaves businesses in shock and stops investment, recruitment and therefore economic growth in its tracks. 

“Instead, the government should consider phasing-in any major tax rises over several years to mitigate the adverse economic consequences, while minimising the impact of these changes on people and businesses, and by extension, the economy.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

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Chartered accountants are talented, ethical and committed professionals. ICAEW represents more than 208,000 members and students around the world.

Founded in 1880, ICAEW has a long history of serving the public interest and we continue to work with governments, regulators and business leaders globally. And, as a world-leading improvement regulator, we supervise and monitor around 12,000 firms, holding them, and all ICAEW members and students, to the highest standards of professional competency and conduct.

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