Pressure is mounting on Chancellor John Healey to introduce a tax on private jet travel after a cross‑party group of 40 MPs, including several Labour representatives, argued that the measure would be fair, popular and would close a loophole that currently exempts the super‑rich from paying their share. The letter, seen by The Independent, says that taxing private jets at the same effective rate as commercial flights and removing the fuel‑duty exemption could yield £2.7bn for the Exchequer.
The proposal arrives as Healey prepares to deliver his first Budget on 28 October, a statement that will need to address a £5bn shortfall in planned defence spending and fund Andy Burnham’s pledges to scrap VAT on energy bills and cap bus fares at £2. With borrowing costs having risen by £12bn after the latest gilt sale, the Chancellor is under pressure from both his own party and other ministers to find new revenue streams that target the wealthiest.
Cross‑Party Call for Action
The letter, signed by MPs such as Abtisam Mohamed, Alex Sobel, Bell Rebeiro‑Addy, Cat Smith, Chris Bloore, Chris Hinchcliff, Ian Byrne, Martin Rhodes, Nadia Whittome, Neil Duncan‑Jordan and Sarah Champion, stresses that the private‑jet sector is presently undertaxed. It reads:
> “By taxing private jets at the same effective rate as regular flights, and ending the tax exemption on private jet fuel, the exchequer could receive £2.7bn, which could be used on measures to support people across the country.”
The signatories go on to note that this sum matches the figure calculated by Nesta in July 2026, which estimated that £2.7bn is required to clear the backlog of consumer energy debts, thereby giving debt relief to two million households and removing the need for all households to subsidise unpaid energy bills.
They also suggest a practical route: aligning the Air Passenger Duty (APD) paid by private‑jet passengers with that paid by ordinary travellers, proportionate to flight cost.
Financial Mechanics of the Proposed Tax
Analysts have broken down how the £2.7bn target could be reached. If fuel duty on private‑jet kerosene were set at ten times the road‑fuel rate – £5.295 per litre – the measure could generate roughly £1.5bn annually. Simultaneously, raising APD to thirty times its current level would contribute an additional £1.2bn.
The combined effect would largely affect billionaires, given that private aviation is heavily concentrated among the ultra‑wealthy. Officials briefing the Treasury have said the tax would be straightforward to administer, building on existing aviation duty structures.
Political Context and Wider Fiscal Pressures
Healey’s dilemma is not merely about raising money; it is also about political credibility. Chancellor Jeremy Starmer’s earlier attempts to balance the books through welfare cuts were met with backlash, and Labour MPs are keen to avoid repeating those missteps.
At the same time, senior ministers are reportedly weighing an overhaul of capital gains tax, proposing to align it with income tax despite warnings from business groups that such a shift could deter foreign investment. The private‑jet levy, by contrast, is framed as a narrowly targeted measure that enjoys broad public backing.
Public Opinion and Expert Views
A survey conducted by More in Common, involving over 3,000 voters and seen by The Independent, found that 79% of respondents support a tax on private jet use. Myles Cummins, aviation campaign manager at the climate charity Possible, welcomed the polling:
> “As this polling shows, a majority of Britons support a tax on private jets so that the richest in society can pay their fair share. Private jet passengers are currently paying almost nothing in tax compared to the tax ordinary people pay for their flights, while also producing an astronomical amount of pollution on journeys that only the obscenely wealthy can afford. In the cost‑of‑living and climate crises, that simply isn’t acceptable. The numbers are clear: people want a private jet tax, so why aren’t we doing something about it?”
Cummins’ remarks underscore the dual appeal of the proposal: it addresses fiscal shortfalls while also tackling environmental concerns linked to elite travel.
Why it Matters
Implementing a private‑jet tax would do more than plug a temporary hole in the budget; it would signal a shift toward taxing wealth where it is most concentrated, potentially easing the pressure on public services and welfare programmes. If the £2.7bn revenue stream materialises, it could fund essential measures such as clearing energy‑bill arrears, supporting Burnham’s cost‑of‑living commitments, and reducing the need for further borrowing. Moreover, the policy aligns with growing public demand for fairness in taxation and could set a precedent for future measures aimed at ensuring that the broadest shoulders bear the heaviest fiscal load. In a period marked by economic strain and climate urgency, the move represents a concrete step toward both fiscal responsibility and social equity.
