Tax allowance campaign reaches 215,000 signatures milestone

A campaign to raise the personal income tax allowance to £20,000 has gained significant support. Over 215,000 people have signed the petition as of Saturday. The petition was started by Alan David Frost on the Parliament website. It aims to increase the current allowance of £12,750 to £20,000. The House of Commons is set to debate the petition on May 12. Petitions that reach over 100,000 signatures must be considered for a debate. After 10,000 signatures, the Government is required to respond. The petition argues that raising the allowance would help low earners and pensioners by ensuring they are not taxed excessively. On February 20, the Government responded to the petition. They expressed their commitment to keeping taxes low for working people but stated they have no plans to raise the allowance to £20,000. They warned that such an increase would cost billions of pounds and impact funding for public services like hospitals and schools. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is scheduled to present her spring statement on March 26. This will outline her latest plans for taxes and spending after last October's comprehensive Budget. The petition and Government's response are available online.