Robert Jenrick, speaking at Reform UK’s conference in Birmingham, pledged to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000 within the first 100 days of a Reform UK government, a move that would remove nearly 3 million people from paying income tax. Jenrick, expected to serve as Chancellor if Nigel Farage leads the party to victory in the next general election, emphasized his commitment by promising to resign if the tax cut is not delivered within the specified timeframe.

The proposed increase represents the largest rise in the personal allowance in history, currently frozen at £12,570 since 2021 and set to remain unchanged until 2031. Reform UK argued that the freeze has disproportionately affected workers amid rising inflation, while the upcoming increase of the state pension to £13,000 next year would force many pensioners into paying income tax for the first time. Reform UK aims to eventually raise the allowance to £20,000.

Jenrick told conference delegates that the £15,000 threshold would save a typical family around £1,000 annually. He outlined the fiscal impact, estimating a £17.7 billion cost to the Treasury in the first year, rising to £21 billion by the fifth year of the next Parliament. Funding, he said, would come from £80 billion in savings on welfare spending, Net Zero programs, and foreign aid. Jenrick framed the proposal as a necessary step to relieve what he described as the “highest tax burden since records began,” criticizing the current government for taxing pensions and attributing economic challenges to wasteful spending.

The announcement came amidst controversy following Channel 4’s release of undercover footage that led to the suspension of two Reform UK aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr, over alleged attempts to bypass electoral law. Despite this setback, Jenrick reaffirmed the party’s resolve, urging supporters that Reform UK remains committed to its mission.

In his remarks, Jenrick challenged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make a similar pledge, framing the political choice as one between cutting welfare, foreign aid, and immigration or supporting the British workforce. Nigel Farage, speaking to GB News after the announcement, praised the plan, highlighting that he has advocated for raising the personal allowance for two decades and pointing out that nearly ten million pensioners could be affected by the next state pension increase.

The tax plan forms a cornerstone of Reform UK’s strategy to present a more worker-focused agenda ahead of the forthcoming general election, seeking to distinguish itself on fiscal policy amid ongoing economic pressures in Britain.