date: 1 July 2008

embargo: 00:01 hours Wednesday July 2 2008

Even the rich admit they have it too easy in unfair tax system

People in every region and age group of the UK, including even the wealthiest households, overwhelmingly say that the tax system is unfair, and that it is too easy for big companies and the rich to get out of paying a fair level of tax, according to a YouGov poll published today (Wednesday) for the TUC.

The polling, published to coincide with a seminar later today to support the TUC's campaign for tax justice, shows that only seven per cent of people think that 'Britain's tax system gets the balance right between the amount of tax paid by the rich, the poor and those in the middle'. Even among those with household incomes of more than £100,000 only 13 per cent think the balance is right.

Three quarters of those polled (75 per cent) agree that 'it is too easy for very rich people to get out of paying a fair level of tax' (including 43 per cent who strongly agree). Even the rich agree, with 52 per cent in households earning more than £100,000 agreeing and only 22 per cent disagreeing - a margin of more than two to one.

The public also thinks it is too easy for big companies to get out of paying tax and thinks that the Government is wrong to reduce tax on large companies.

Seven out of ten people (69 per cent) agree that it is 'too easy for big companies to get out of paying a fair level of tax' and nearly six out of ten (57 per cent) disagree with 'the Government is right to reduce tax on the profits of large companies'.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'An astonishingly large majority of people think the tax system is unfair and that it is too easy for big companies and the well-off to get out of paying fair taxes. The public knows that every pound the rich do not pay has to be made up by ordinary peoples' taxes or by cuts in public services.

'Creating a fairer tax system does not mean a higher tax bill for ordinary workers. Instead, clamping down on tax avoidance and closing the loopholes enjoyed by the super-rich will put extra revenue into ordinary peoples' pockets or pay for our hard-pressed public services.

'The millions of voters who are feeling the pinch from rising prices and mounting bills will welcome a Government stand for tax justice.'

The TUC seminar - Is it Time for Tax Justice? - takes place on Wednesday evening (2 July) at Church House in Westminster and will be chaired by Daily Mirror political columnist Kevin Maguire. Guest speakers include TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Peter Hain MP and tax expert Richard Murphy.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,106 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28-30 May 2008. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

- The TUC tax polling results are available at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/taxpoll.pdf and further campaign materials are available at www.tuc.org.uk/taxjustice

- The TUC tax justice seminar is supported by 13 organisations including: Action Aid, Barnardo's, Child Poverty Action Group, Christian Aid, Compass, Demos, Fabian Society, IPPR, Oxfam, Progress, Tax Justice Network and War on Want. To reserve a place at the seminar, email taxjustice@tuc.org.uk or call 020 7467 1204.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (700 words) issued 2 Jul 2008