The 2025 UK Budget brings a mix of short-term relief and long-term cost pressure for road transport, logistics and import/export businesses.  Fuel duty rises, increasing labour costs and new customs rules will add pressure to an industry already working on tight margins.

Below are the key problems the Budget highlights and the practical steps operators can take to protect their margins.

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Fuel Costs

• Fuel duty remains frozen until September 2026, providing temporary stability.
• The 5p cut will be reversed and duty will begin rising from late 2026, adding sustained cost pressure at a time when margins are already tight.

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Labour & Employment Costs

• National Insurance changes on pension contributions from 2029 will increase long-term employment costs.
• Rising wage and compliance obligations are likely to remain a major challenge for operators of all sizes.

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Infrastructure

• Continued funding for the Lower Thames Crossing and future £2bn per year for road repairs is welcome.
• Planning reforms aim to speed up delivery of major projects, but benefits will take time to materialise.

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Customs

• Duty relief for low-value goods (£135 or below) will end in 2029, increasing costs for parcel carriers, e-commerce and groupage movements.
• Border locations will be fully responsible for funding their own customs infrastructure.
• More flexible powers for ministers to set tariff rules signal future policy changes, even though rates remain unchanged for now.

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View the full budget here →

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What It Means for Haulage

Running costs and admin pressures are set to rise, which puts even more emphasis on having the right systems in place.

With fuel duty increases on the horizon, Stratum helps operators stay in control through smarter fuel surcharge management and clear cost-per-mile visibility. You can adjust rates quickly, understand the true impact of fuel changes and protect your margins without guesswork.

Higher employment and compliance costs make efficiency more important than ever. Stratum reduces manual workload through automated workflows, like digital PODs, route optimization, 1 button invoicing and automated compliance, helping teams do more without increasing headcount.

And with tighter customs rules coming into play, operators need clean data and accurate documentation. Through MyCustomsCloud, you get centralised customs records and automated document handling, powered by AI, reducing risk and keeping cross-border movements compliant.

In short, the Budget brings new pressures, but Stratum gives operators practical tools to manage rising fuel, labour and admin costs with far greater control.

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