Liberal Democrat Jim Tolson MSP for Dunfermline West has revealed that over 173,600 people in Fife will pay reduced income tax from April this year, thanks to the Liberal Democrat-led increase in the personal tax allowance. In addition, 6,560 people will not pay any income tax.

Liberal Democrats in the UK Government are increasing the personal tax allowance to £10,000, meaning no-one will pay any tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

Commenting, Jim Tolson MSP said:

“Thanks to the Liberal Democrats, over 6,560 people in Fife will not pay any income tax and more than 173,600 people will pay much less than they did before.

“Liberal Democrats promised at last year’s General Election to increase the personal allowance. I am proud that my colleagues in Westminster are delivering that promise.

“Liberal Democrats have put money back in your pocket for you and your family.

“Labour put an incredible income tax burden on the poorest in society. It is not fair that people on the lowest incomes paid so much of their income in tax.

“In just 11 months, 180,160 people in Fife have benefited from Liberal Democrats in Government. This figure will only increase as the tax system gets fairer under Liberal Democrats.”

Notes:

These figures were calculated using the data on employee earnings from the ONS’s 2010 Annual Survey of Earnings and Hours dataset by local authority of residence. Figures for employees in each local authority removed from tax and those paying reduced tax were used to extrapolate the results for all taxpayers on a proportional basis.