Arabic version: هيلي يخطط لخفض الرسوم الجمركية على الواردات الأساسية

According to BBC News, Chancellor John Healey will remove import tariffs on marmalade, gherkins and more than 100 other products before the Budget, in a move intended to give families “breathing space” on living costs. The government says the changes, alongside tariff suspensions introduced in June, could save households up to £21 a year.

The products listed include garlic, chocolate-coated wafers and waffles, boiled sweets, plant-based drinks, kerosene and fertilisers. Marmalade’s 20% tariff, plus an additional £19 charge per 100kg imported, will be suspended. Healey said wars in Iran and Ukraine had raised everyday costs for families, adding that the government could act where it could make a difference.

Other announced measures include making permanent the 55p-per-mile tax-free rate for people driving up to 10,000 work miles. The rate above that threshold will rise from 25p to 35p a mile. Carers will be able to earn more than the existing limit without losing their entire allowance, under a replacement taper mechanism.

Self-employed fathers will receive two weeks of paternity pay, having previously missed payments of up to £194 a week for that period. The government also plans hundreds of additional Post Office drop boxes for parcels. The BBC understands fuel duty will again be frozen in the Budget and the 5p duty discount will continue.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government was addressing major challenges while retaining focus on everyday costs and fairness. Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith said the plan for “cheaper gherkins” was an insult to families facing higher borrowing costs, taxes and inflation.