Majority of voters back rise in income tax to fund NHS

THE majority of Britons back an income tax rise to give the NHS a much-needed funded boost, according to a new poll.

Two thirds (66 per cent) of voters – including 63 per cent who vote Conservative – would be willing to pay one per cent more on their income tax.

The findings come after The Daily Telegraph revealed the Prime Minister is poised to announce a major hike in health spending to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS.

Mrs May is set to announce a cash injection of around £4billion a year as early as Monday, funded by borrowing, income tax and a proposed “Brexit dividend” – the billions of pounds the UK would otherwise be paying to the EU.

Downing Street declined to comment on reports that ministers are considering raising some of the cash by freezing the thresholds for the standard and higher rate of income tax from April 2020.

A report on Friday by Lord Darzi and Lord Prior, former health ministers, argued the case for guaranteeing growth of around 3.5 per cent a year in health spending over the long-term in order to ensure the NHS is fully funded.

The Yougov survey for pressure group 38 Degrees found that 73 per cent of those asked did not believe politicians were prepared to make difficult decisions about how to fund the NHS.

An additional one per cent in income tax could raise £5.5billion a year for health, according to a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research. David Babbs, executive director for 38 Degrees, said: “The Government now have a clear mandate from the British people, who are willing to pay a bit more in income tax to give our NHS the proper funding boost it needs – not a sticking plaster solution.”