Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made a direct pledge to tackle the cost of living crisis head-on, promising a Budget designed to support working families after what she describes as years of Tory austerity.
A Budget for Working Families
In an exclusive commitment, the Chancellor vowed that her second Budget, scheduled for November 26, will deliver tangible help by slashing NHS waiting lists, cutting national debt, and bringing down the cost of living. She stated that working families are at the very heart of her financial plan, which aims to build a fairer, stronger, and more secure Britain.
Ms Reeves said her priorities are clear. She is focused on cutting NHS waiting lists to end the plight of patients languishing for treatment, a situation she attributes to past austerity. She is also committed to cutting national debt, arguing it is not progressive to spend vast sums on debt interest that could be funding public services. Finally, she pledged to continue cutting the cost of living, acknowledging it remains the primary pressure on households across the country.
Key Measures in the Upcoming Budget
The Chancellor is expected to announce several significant policies. These include scrapping the two-child benefit cap, unveiling new taxes on the largest properties, and taking decisive action to bring down energy bills.
So far, the Government has already taken steps such as cutting NHS waiting lists, extending the prescription charge freeze in England, and rolling out breakfast clubs. This initiative is estimated to save parents around £450 a year and ensures over half a million children do not start school hungry.
Ms Reeves promised that her upcoming Budget will go even further, calling it a Budget for you and your family.
Boosting Planning and Protecting Workers
In a move to supercharge housebuilding, the Budget will also see a £48m boost to recruit 350 new planners across England. This investment is intended to strengthen the planning system's capacity to deliver on the government's commitment to build 1.5 million homes and accelerate major infrastructure projects.
Furthermore, the Treasury will unveil plans to name and shame employers who breach national minimum wage rules. A Treasury source stated this reform is designed to protect vulnerable workers and ensure businesses have no place to hide. In October alone, 500 employers failed to pay the minimum wage, affecting 42,000 workers.
Additional measures include new powers for Border Force and HMRC to seize illegal vapes on the spot and issue £10,000 fines, with potential prison time for business owners who break the rules.
