Motoring Discussion > Tax disc return? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Old Navy Replies: 41

 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
DVLA £93 million down since they were abolished. DM article refers.
 Tax disc return? - Falkirk Bairn
IIRC the DVLA reckoned they would save £30m in Printing, Postage & handling costs.

Looks to have been a loss of £90m - unintended consequences seem to dog our Government and money saving ploys.
 Tax disc return? - Slidingpillar
I'm not that surprised to be truthful. With the disc, you had a reminder in the car, and without it you, err don't! Then there are the non-law abiding, who probably think they are less likely to get caught. Put the two together and apparently, that is the result.

The vintage car now sports a replica dated as per the original, and shows the fee at the time, a whole £4. Also shows the RAC horse power, but that is just to annoy car owners as the tax if there was a fourth wheel would have been £10. Car road fund tax was £1 per RAC horsepower and an Austin 7 would been, ta dah, £7 and less powerful too.!
 Tax disc return? - Bill Payer
I wonder if this is just due to people being refunded automatically on disposing of a vehicle, where in the past they often wouldn't have bothered to return the unexpired disc?
 Tax disc return? - sooty123
I'm surprised it's down, especially as the government get double the month a car changes hands.
 Tax disc return? - jc2
Only if you buy or sell at the wrong time!
 Tax disc return? - sooty123
True, but I bet there's plenty that don't/can't change at month end.
 Tax disc return? - spamcan61
Looked like a stupid idea at the time, and lo and behold, turns out it was a stupid idea. Whereas before anybody walking past your vehicle could instantly tell whether it was taxed or not, and forging tax disks was tricky, now only the select few with database access can check (assuming a real reg number - after all reg. plates are a darned sight easier to forge than tax disks).
 Tax disc return? - Tigger
Having just bought a new trailer, its astonishingly easy to get hold of valid/legal number plates. I expected to have to show my V5, but none of the sellers on eBay seem to ask for it.

The rise of online access to databases on tax and insurance have made it easier than ever to clone another car - and to monitor the original so that you don't get pulled over.
 Tax disc return? - sooty123
>> Having just bought a new trailer, its astonishingly easy to get hold of valid/legal number> plates. I expected to have to show my V5, but none of the sellers on eBay seem to ask for it.

I think they are supposed to state they are for 'show use' only?
 Tax disc return? - movilogo
What is the root cause for fall in revenue?

Is it because people are not paying taxes which they are supposed to do?

 Tax disc return? - Cliff Pope
>> What is the root cause for fall in revenue?


Presumably the figure takes into account underlying trends like people switching to lower band cars, electric, etc?
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
>> Presumably the figure takes into account underlying trends like people switching to lower band cars,
>> electric, etc?
>>

That will change with the new tax rates next April.


Last edited by: Old Sundodger on Thu 21 Jul 16 at 17:25
 Tax disc return? - Crankcase
>> >> Presumably the figure takes into account underlying trends like people switching to lower band
>> cars,
>> >> electric, etc?
>> >>
>>
>> That will change with the new tax rates next April.
>>

Not for electric it won't. Phew!

 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
>> Not for electric it won't. Phew!
>>

A tiny minority of car users. You are right it will make little difference to the revenue take. Non payers will be a bigger problem.
 Tax disc return? - Crankcase
Talking of dodgers, parked up the other week in a courtesy car. Large Lexus RX turned up, backed very inexpertly in beside me, child leapt out of back, dent in courtesy car.

I hopped out and inspected, turned to have the inevitable conversation, and they were all walking off. I entered into the "I say, half a mo" type thing that one does, and they looked at me, shrugged, and then walked off completely. Didn't buy a parking ticket either.

So I checked online. No tax, no insurance, obvious fake parking permit for local hospital in dash. Plates had no dealer name, but did say "Wilko".

What can you do other than seeth? I clicked the buttons on the DVLA website to "report" it but what good will that do?

Amazingly, when I fessed up at the garage and suggested it couldn't surely be more than £100, could it, they said it might be about that but they would call. They never did, and I've been back since too.
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
>> Not for electric it won't. Phew!
>>

The thin edge of the wedge is approaching.

Ecotricity who own the motorway service area rapid chargers are about to start charging :-) £6 for a 30 minute charge. This equates to about 40 miles and is about the cost of a gallon of liquid fuel which will take you the same distance ish. The reason they use is PHEVs are using the charging points for parking and blocking them for battery powered cars.The treasury is also looking at how to recover the revenue lost from liquid fuel taxation due to the policy of all cars being zero emmision by 2040.
Last edited by: Old Sundodger on Sat 23 Jul 16 at 12:07
 Tax disc return? - Cliff Pope

>>
>> I think they are supposed to state they are for 'show use' only?
>>

There's nothing on the plates to say that. I've used on-line places to get replacement plates for a car sometimes, and they have all the correct BS number etc. No comments at MOT.
 Tax disc return? - sooty123
I meant it's supposed to state it on the advert, I think.
 Tax disc return? - legacylad
Crankie, now if it were me, I'm a nasty, grudge bearing SOAB.
If someone does the dirty on me I retaliate. Might have to wait a while, until they forget...
Just make sure there are no cameras around...
My ex ex, a lovely sweet natured early 20s, had her car door dinged by a neighbour who refused to right the situation. She waited until they were off an an important car journey, then went out in the early hours and rammed parsnips up the exhaust with a broom handle.
And butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
 Tax disc return? - Tigger

>>
>> I think they are supposed to state they are for 'show use' only?
>>
They don't seem to. Indeed, they quote 'road legal' instead, and come with the right BS marks, etc.
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
DVLA publication INF 104 gives all the number plate info.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates
 Tax disc return? - sooty123
They don't seem to. Indeed, they quote 'road legal' instead, and come with the right
>> BS marks, etc.
>>

I might be wrong, i remember a clamp down on people selling number plates to anyone. Under new rules you were supposed to prove you owned the car and sellers were supposed to ask for that information.
 Tax disc return? - bathtub tom
>> I might be wrong, i remember a clamp down on people selling number plates to
>> anyone. Under new rules you were supposed to prove you owned the car and sellers
>> were supposed to ask for that information.

I recall that too, perhaps it's one of those laws that's impossible to impose?
 Tax disc return? - Bromptonaut
>> I recall that too, perhaps it's one of those laws that's impossible to impose?

Certainly difficult to Police. Bought a couple recently, one for caravan and another to replace a delaminating front on old 'lingo. Halfords required sight of V5 and photo ID. But bought over internet is another ball game.
 Tax disc return? - Slidingpillar
Got a feeling the official requirements have been relaxed slightly. I could easily meet them now, but I cannot supply and utility bills as like many others, I've moved to cheaper paperless billing.

Pointless exercise though, the crims are not deterred and the only ones inconvenienced are the law abiding.
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
Ouch!

950% increase over three years for some smaller cars!

www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/88361/tax-disc-changes-everything-you-need-to-know-about-uk-road-tax
 Tax disc return? - rtj70
New smaller cars I think.

Goal posts need moving for the sake of the environment.
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
More to do with the fall in tax take with falling Co2 outputs.
 Tax disc return? - rtj70
Exactly... the cars are more efficient and the old tariffs helped get them there. Now we need new lower tariffs.
 Tax disc return? - Fullchat
In theory every vehicle in the country should be either taxed or SORN'd (unless its of a certain vintage and been off road). So if its not SORN'd DVLA are sending fines in the post. Should be simple. BUT in order to hit the cars that are being used which have been declared SORN'd there needs to be a robust ANPR detection system with the ability to follow up.
Was a time when DVLA would hit an area with a tow truck and seize untaxed vehicles. Haven't seen or heard of that for a while.
Untaxed cars used to be bread and butter Police work with other offences falling out but resources/priorities are a whole load different.
Ultimately its about the DVLA having the stomach to deal with the matter properly. Probably a bit like the banks and just pass on the losses among the law abiding customers.
 Tax disc return? - Tigger
>> ...there needs to be a robust ANPR detection system with the ability to follow up...

But that relies on the number plate, which is the weak link in the chain. With it being so easy to buy false plates, all that does is drive people to clone others.

Its so easy now you can check the car you wish to copy is taxed and insured using online services. Then get a set of plates from eBay and away you go.

The solution would be to move to state issued plates, like many European countries. Also, I believe, US states.
 Tax disc return? - martin aston
State issued plates would not allow people to mess about with spacing etc to create personalised plates. I see more and more nowadays where you can't readily work out what the true reg is. Not going to happen of course as is a nice little earner for the govt.
 Tax disc return? - Crankcase
>> Ouch!
>>
>> 950% increase over three years for some smaller cars!
>

One of my cars currently costs £185, the other nothing. After these changes, one will cost £140 and the other nothing. Jolly good.

 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
SQ 4 LB
>> One of my cars currently costs £185, the other nothing. After these changes, one will
>> cost £140 and the other nothing. Jolly good.


You might need to reconsider that, the new rates only apply to cars registered after 1 April 2017. Expect the manufacturers "Beat the tax rise" sales campaigns to start after the September plate change sales fall off.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 22 Aug 16 at 10:14
 Tax disc return? - Crankcase
Oh, right, ta.

Ok, no changes at all then, unless the £185 goes up I guess. The zero one won't.
 Tax disc return? - Auristocrat
There is no guarantee that VED rates for cars registered before 1st April 2017 will continue unchanged.
If the Government have lost £90 million from the current system, they could well be looking change the rates for pre-April 2017 vehicles. Don't forget we have a new Chancellor and are post-Brexit, so there may be changes afoot .....
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
>> Don't forget we have a new Chancellor
>> and are post-Brexit, so there may be changes afoot .....
>>

Another Brexit scare story? Move on it has happened. The Chancellor is just like all other politicians, they need votes to stay on the gravy train so won't upset the punters too much. A reason that these tax increases are always deferred until they have moved on.
 Tax disc return? - NortonES2
Brexit is an asymptotic state on the evidence thus far:)
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymptotic_theory_(statistics)

If you say so, way over my head. Typical "I want to be ruled by the EU" waffle, we have fought wars to prevent that.
 Tax disc return? - tyrednemotional
>> Brexit is an asymptotic state on the evidence thus far:)
>>

I think Martin Rowson put it in pictures.

tinyurl.com/brexitasymptote

;-)
 Tax disc return? - Old Navy
There is a good description of the new car tax rates and the three new categories of tax in the Motoring News on the HJ website.
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