By Andrew Pring | 4 September 2014
Two-thirds of British voters oppose an increase in income tax to pay more towards the NHS, according to a poll commissioned by the think-tank Reform.
The survey, conducted by Populus, found that there was opposition to an increase across every region of England as well as Scotland and Wales.
It comes as there is speculation about how the NHS should be funded in the future. Former health minister Lord Warner has proposed a charging a £10 monthly ‘membership fee', which the Barker commission on health and social care has called for increases in National Insurance to fund a merged service.
The poll by Reform found that there was little support for tax rises predicated on the NHS.
More than half of those polled – 60% – agreed with the proposition that the NHS needed reform rather than extra money.
In addition, 72% agreed with the statement, ‘If the government reformed public services and cut waste, it could make services better and cut taxes at the same time’.
The poll also found that nearly two-thirds – 62% – agreed with the proposition that ‘it shouldn’t matter whether hospitals and surgeries are run by the government, not-for-profit organisations or the private sector, provided that everyone including the least well off has access to care’. Only 17% disagreed.
Publihsing the research yesterday, Reform director Andrew Haldenby said: ‘By a big majority, the public wants NHS reform not a new NHS tax.
‘An extra 1p on income tax would cost the average income taxpayer £12.50 a month in the next Parliament. Even voters who support an NHS tax are not willing to pay that much.’
