70% of Britons say taxes too high

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Around 70% of people said they did not think the amount of tax they paid was reflected in the services they received and only 15% said they would be prepared to pay more money to get better services.

But despite thinking tax levels are too high, 43% of people said they would prefer to pay tax upfront, rather than hand over money through stealth taxes, according to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Only 9% of those questioned said they were fully aware and took advantage of tax breaks, while 6% admitted they did not completely understand what happened to the money they paid in taxes.

Council tax emerged as being the most unpopular tax, with 40% of people saying it was the tax they most resented paying.

The research, which was based on responses from 1,999 people, was published to coincide with an ACCA policy paper calling for the UK tax system to be made more open and accountable.

Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of taxation at ACCA, said: "Central to our policy paper is the need for governments to ensure their tax systems are truly accountable and that people understand why they are paying their taxes.

"Our survey shows that we still have some way to go in the UK. Legislation also needs to be clear - no more stealth taxes, no more unexplained tax hikes. Regimes need to be user friendly for both business and individuals alike."