Fuel duties, alcohol & cigarettes

Fuel duty has been frozen for the 9th consecutive year.   Duties on beer, cider & spirits will also be frozen.  In real terms this will save 1p on a pint of beer, 2p on a pint of cider and 30p on a bottle of gin or whiskey.

Alcohol duty rises on wine in line with inflation from 6pm tonight adding 7p to a bottle of wine and 9p to a bottle of fizz.

The price of high-strength white ciders will also go up.

The budget is also bad news for smokers, The Chancellor revealed cigarette duty will rise by inflation plus 2%.  The change will come into force at 6pm this evening; a £10.40 packet of cigarettes will rise to £10.49.