Federal Labor is likely to go to the next election promising to scale back the stage three income tax cuts, rather than revoke them, to avoid a Coalition campaign accusing it of denying further tax relief to the lower paid.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is suggesting Labor will amend the cuts to exclude those on the highest incomes, saying $80 billion of the $130 billion the cuts are worth were unwarranted because they would go to "high end" earners.