The UK government's decision to freeze tax thresholds until 2028 has been criticised after an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) thinktank highlighted the effect it would have on low- and middle-income earners ahead of the April budget.
The move means that nearly 3 million people will have to pay basic or higher-rate tax this year, costing most basic-rate taxpayers £500 ($688) from April and most higher-rate taxpayers £1,000.
Despite the implications of the decision, it was not mentioned in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's budget speech because he had already indicated in November that personal tax thresholds would remain the same until 2028.
Some sources claim the move is one of several that penalises people who work for a living.
A Guardian report suggested there was a "pincer movement" on workers, with the freeze being combined with an increase in the state pension age for men and women, the reduced value of benefit payments due to inflation and a decline in living standards.
Others sources have pointed out that while the rise in tax has been expected since November, this does not make it any less harsh for those affected.
Taxpayers who find themselves in a higher tax bracket would face a smaller increase due to the changes.
The rise in taxation is positioned by some sources as necessary to redress the budget deficit.
The IFS calculates that the lack of indexation amounts to a real terms tax hike which will raise £1.6bn this year alone.