Chancellor takes ‘difficult decisions’ as Budget date set

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said she was taking ‘difficult decisions’ after a Treasury spending audit revealed £22 billion of unfunded pledges.Ms Reeves confirmed that the Autumn Budget will take place on 30 October. In a statement to Parliament, the Chancellor made a number of announcements but said there would be more to come on tax and spending plans at the Budget. The Budget will also see a set of non-negotiable fiscal rules established.

Fix the foundations 

The Chancellor said that she has inherited a ‘£22 billion hole’ in the public finances and outlined the ‘urgent work’ required to reduce the pressure on finances by £5.5 billion this year and over £8 billion next year. 

Ms Reeves announced that the government will cut winter fuel payments to those not in receipt of pension credits and axe funding for certain infrastructure projects. 

Ms Reeves said the government will ‘treat taxpayers’ money with respect by ensuring that every pound is well spent’ and use the Budget to ‘fix the foundations of our economy’. 

The Chancellor added: ‘This is not the statement I wanted to give today, and these are not the decisions I wanted to make. But they are the right decisions in difficult circumstances.’ 

Immediate savings 

The Chancellor announced a number of immediate savings, including: 

• £800 million this year and £1.4 billion next year from scrapping the Rwanda migration partnership and scrapping retrospection of the Illegal Migration Act. 

• £70 million this year by cancelling the Investment Opportunity Fund and other small projects. 

• £185 million next year from cancelling the Advanced British Standard.  

• £785 million next year from stopping unaffordable road and railway schemes.  

The Chancellor also announced a review of the New Hospital Programme.     

Manifesto commitments 

Ms Reeves also outlined the next steps in delivering tax commitments from Labour’s election manifesto. 

This includes ending the VAT tax breaks for private schools from 1 January 2025 to help recruit 6,500 new teachers, as well as replacing the non-domicile regime with a new internationally competitive residence-based regime. 

The Chancellor confirmed plans for the Energy Profits Levy to be extended one year to 31 March 2030, have its investment allowances tightened and to increase the rate of the levy by three percentage points to 38% from 1 November 2024. 

Tax and spending 

The Chancellor will be making a number of further tax and spending announcements at the Autumn Budget. 

Ms Reeves said: ‘I can repeat – from the despatch box – our manifesto commitment that we will not increase National Insurance, the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax or VAT. 

‘My Right Honourable Friend the Exchequer Secretary is publishing further detail on our manifesto commitments to close tax loopholes and clamp down on tax avoidance to ensure we bring that money in as quickly as possible.’ 

The Autumn Budget 

The Chancellor will deliver the Autumn Budget, alongside a forecast from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), on 30 October.  

Mercia’s tax experts will be watching and will provide detailed analysis of the day’s announcements. Keep your clients up to date with our range of communication products.