There were no surprises in store for the industry in Chancellor George Osborne’s spring Budget this year – except for a £4.2 million package to tackle waste crime.

The Budget reveals that Mr Osborne also raised the cap on contributions by landfill operators to the Landfill Communities Fund from 5.1% to 5.7% – meaning more cash for community and environmental projects.

In adjusting the Communities Fund, the Budget document promised a “one-off £4.2m increase” in Environment Agency funding to address waste crime.

On Landfill Tax, the Chancellor confirmed that the standard and lower rates of Landfill Tax will increase in line with RPI, rounded to the nearest 5 pence, from April 2016. Additionally, the loss on ignition testing regime announced at Autumn Statement 2014 will be introduced from 1 April 2015. (From April 1 2015 the standard Landfill Tax rate will be £82.60).

Elsewhere in the Budget, the Chancellor said that designation of the Leeds Enterprise Zone will be changed to support energy from waste technology businesses, while the government will work with road haulage firms to fund HGV driver training.