April signifies plenty of changes. It is the start of a new tax year, in 2023 at least, benefit claimants get a financial boost, and there is hope for some sunshine now that spring is here... the list goes on.
Motorists, in particular, have been the subject of a number of changes recently. In March, new driving rules came into force with updates to the Highway Code, and there were changes to the rules concerning number plates. As April gets underway, more changes kick in.
New car tax rates began on April 1 and the cost has risen for petrol and diesel vehicles. There are also changes on the way for electric vehicles. Yorkshire Live reported that those driving electric will be taxed from 2025. So, what can we expect when it comes to price hikes?
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For petrol and diesel vehicles registered after the April 1 deadline, charges will rise, starting from vehicles in the 51 to 75 CO2 band, where drivers will need to pay £30, up from £25. The most polluting petrol and diesel vehicles - which fall in the over 255 CO2 band - will need to pay £2,605, a rise of £240 from last year.
For cars registered between March 2001 and April 2017, the highest income is again for the most polluting group of vehicles - band M. Last year, drivers of these vehicles would have paid £630 or £661.50 through 12 monthly instalments.
This has now increased to £695 and £729.75 respectively. Electric vehicles are still tax-exempt until 2025.
Drivers who are unsure of their own tax rate can visit GOV.UK/check-vehicle-tax for the technical details of their vehicle and to view the tax rates for the vehicle. While simple the registration number of your car will give you the technical info you may be looking for, such as vehicle details and whether or not it is taxed and has an MOT, you will need to enter your 11-digit reference number for the front page of your latest V5C registration certificate (logbook) to see the tax rate for your vehicle.
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