UK petrol prices get truly RIDICULOUS!!

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Aquaduct · #11 Unread post by **Aquaduct** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:16 pm

Nibblet99 wrote:hmm, I'm burning between £40-£80 per month in fuel... That's about $75-$150 for 40-80 litres... how much is this charging me for medical insurance??? I think I'd rather take your prices, and pay medical separately

When I was unemployed about 2 years ago, they gave me the option of picking up the company insurance for my family of 4. Ran about $800/month. I'm not so sure I'd be in a hurry to take that bet.

#12 Unread post by **Kal** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:26 pm

Scott58 wrote:Look at it this way. If you didn't have to pay so much in taxes for gas and cigarettes wouldn't you have to pay for medical insurance? Nobody rides for free.

We do, its called National Insurance and is taken straight out of our pay packets...

Before the Tax gets calculated...

The only thing that isnt Taxed in this Country is the air...

Keyoke · #13 Unread post by **Keyoke** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:50 am

The most ridiculous thing with UK petrol prices is that the VAT (value added tax) is added on after the standard duty tax. Meaning, we are being taxed for paying tax!!!

oldnslo · #14 Unread post by **oldnslo** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:57 am

Specifically what "value" is added to your petrol price that would make it worthy of taxation?

Keyoke · #15 Unread post by **Keyoke** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:03 am

oldnslo wrote:Specifically what "value" is added to your petrol price that would make it worthy of taxation?

I wish i knew....

eugeart · #16 Unread post by **eugeart** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:12 pm

VAT or value added tax is a tax placed solely on the consumer instead of the manufacturers and and middlemen from raw materials to finished product. It effectively sums up all of the taxes that would have been paid by everyone in the process and places the burden on the consumer. I remember it being prevalent in the UK while I lived there. It is almost like a luxury tax.

It is unlike the USA where everything is taxed for the most part at every stage of the game. Consumers, while having to pay taxes have a percieved notion that they are paying less for a product; but actually the tax costs borne by the various "middlemen" usually end up padded into the final cost paid by the consumer- which will usually have sales tax or other taxes tacked on. The effect is nearly the same.

However, in the USA we consume such a vast quantity of stuff, prices still are quite low- hence the price of gasoline still being quite inexpensive compared to other countries. I'm sure in the UK that taxes on petrol make up a significant portion of its final price.

#17 Unread post by **Kal** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:28 pm

There was a run on Petrol stations last week due to fuel price protestors.

Ironically prices peaked at £1.09 a litre so our local paper went to see how the prices could be justified, get this...

"we raised prices to compansate for lost business later in the week"
"we still have rates and other bills to pay"

Right, so these people sold a weeks worth of petrol in a day and they are now concerned that they will be losing money for the rest of the week?

People are still using their cars, people are still using the same ammount of petrol, these stations arent losing money over the week - they are just making it at a different part of the week.

Over the course of the week they have still physically sold the same amount of petrol and somehow turned it into the chance to make MORE money!

sapaul · #18 Unread post by **sapaul** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:03 am

At our rates in SA Rands, we are paying R5.90 per litre. Doing the calc at exchange rate we are paying about half of what you are.