Chancellor Rachel Reeves may consider extending the freeze on tax thresholds, raising concerns about a stealth tax that could affect hardworking Britons without altering tax rates. Charlene Young, a pensions and savings expert at AJ Bell, emphasized that frozen tax thresholds impose a burden on taxpayers due to inflation, resulting in higher tax bills as wages and asset values increase. By 2027, the number of higher-rate taxpayers is expected to reach 7.2 million, with one in four teachers potentially falling into this category, underscoring the effects of fiscal drag according to records from the Office for Budget Responsibility and predictions from the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Analysts caution that the upcoming Spring Statement may provide insights into future tax policies, with anticipated increases in tax burdens despite no official rate hikes.