Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer fears car tax 'loophole' will be scrapped and force costs up for drivers

Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer fears car tax 'loophole' will be scrapped and force costs up for drivers

WATCH: MAJOR car tax changes scrapped in huge U-turn

GB NEWS
Felix Reeves

By Felix Reeves


Published: 21/05/2024

- 15:35

The Government has previously rejected calls to make tax changes for classic cars

Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer has criticised plans of whether a "tax loophole" should be closed, despite benefitting thousands of classic car owners around the UK.

Current rules state that a vehicle must be more than 40 years old to be designated in the "historic vehicle" tax class, allowing them to avoid having to pay taxes.



Drivers do not have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) from April 1, 2024, if their vehicle was built before January 1, 1984, but drivers must tax the vehicle even if they do not pay.

If someone does not know the age of their vehicle and the exact date it was built, they can still apply to stop paying vehicle tax based on when it was first registered, which also stands at the 40-year benchmark.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk

Car tax notice

New car tax changes impacting electric vehicle owners will launch in April 2025

GETTY


Mike Brewer, TV presenter and host of Wheeler Dealers, spoke about the future of the tax exemption and whether any changes will be introduced affecting motorists with classic cars.

The expert said the rule could be considered “ridiculous” by politicians and suggested MPs could make a move to axe the incentive.

Mike Brewer said: "Give it a couple of years and they will close that loophole as well. I fought for rolling tax exemption on classic cars.

"Elvis (Marc Priestley) is now fortunate enough to stand up in front of a group of MPs and give them some of our passions," he told the Express.


Speaking recently to GB News, Transport Secretary Mark Harper called on motorists to take part in the recently launched call for evidence and make their feelings known on which changes could make classic car ownership easier.

There have been calls for the Government to slash the maximum age required to consider a vehicle historic from its current level of 40, down to as low as 20 years.

He said: "If people have views about where that cut-off point should be and what should count as a classic car and what shouldn't, they should absolutely feed that back."

The creator of the petition said an age cut would help more people get involved in the industry at a low cost and without the hassle of bureaucracy to get them behind the wheel of an older vehicle.


In response to the petition, the Department for Transport said there were no plans to make any tax law changes, but that it would always keep rules under review, especially if there is an appetite to change them.

Mike Brewer continued, saying: "I fought for rolling tax exemption and it did happen. I know that somewhere in the halls of Westminster.

"It's ridiculous isn't it, how can you stop me driving into town in a 2013 Mini Cooper and charge me high road tax.”

Mark Harper attended Bicester Heritage earlier this month to speak with classic car owners about the future of the industry and what could be done to protect motorists and their vehicles.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

CLASSIC CAR

Classic cars need to be over 40 years old to be registered in the 'historic vehicle' tax class

GETTY


A number of people attending the show spoke about the importance of addressing how drivers can deal with the Ultra Low Emission Zone with a classic car.

One historic vehicle owner, Kevin, said that people were being put off from investing in a classic car because they are concerned about the charges from Clean Air Zones around the country.

You may like