"Sunak warns over multibillion cost of booster programme
Exclusive: Chancellor said to not have opposed jab regime but warned of spending cuts or tax rises to pay for it
Rishi Sunak has issued a stark warning to Department of Health officials over the multibillion-pound cost of regular booster rollouts, the Guardian has learned.
Sources said the chancellor raised the point in several Covid meetings that a mooted three-month booster regime – more frequent than originally anticipated – could begin to impact on future spending.
A Whitehall source from outside the Treasury said Sunak had not opposed the measure but warned prices were likely to rise and that the cost to the exchequer should not be underestimated. They said the additional cost would need to be paid for in either spending cuts or tax rises.
“He made the point, rightly, that people would feel the effects of that spending in NHS and household budgets. These doses do not grow on trees,” the source said.
“Worst case scenario, if a new variant comes along or if Omicron doesn’t burn out, if we have to do this for years to come, that’s billions in costs that has not been foreseen which has to be paid for.”
The increase in national insurance, earmarked for NHS waiting lists but eventually aimed to help tackle the increased costs of social care, is expected to bring in £12bn a year which the Treasury could raid for additional cash for jabs."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ster-programme
And how much closure of the economy will cost? Or long term NHS costs for long Covid? What a piece of penny pinching tulip - just want to tax the tulip out of people
Exclusive: Chancellor said to not have opposed jab regime but warned of spending cuts or tax rises to pay for it
Rishi Sunak has issued a stark warning to Department of Health officials over the multibillion-pound cost of regular booster rollouts, the Guardian has learned.
Sources said the chancellor raised the point in several Covid meetings that a mooted three-month booster regime – more frequent than originally anticipated – could begin to impact on future spending.
A Whitehall source from outside the Treasury said Sunak had not opposed the measure but warned prices were likely to rise and that the cost to the exchequer should not be underestimated. They said the additional cost would need to be paid for in either spending cuts or tax rises.
“He made the point, rightly, that people would feel the effects of that spending in NHS and household budgets. These doses do not grow on trees,” the source said.
“Worst case scenario, if a new variant comes along or if Omicron doesn’t burn out, if we have to do this for years to come, that’s billions in costs that has not been foreseen which has to be paid for.”
The increase in national insurance, earmarked for NHS waiting lists but eventually aimed to help tackle the increased costs of social care, is expected to bring in £12bn a year which the Treasury could raid for additional cash for jabs."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ster-programme
And how much closure of the economy will cost? Or long term NHS costs for long Covid? What a piece of penny pinching tulip - just want to tax the tulip out of people
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