Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has welcomed the Conservative Government’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review.
Stephen has welcomed the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review, which provides the foundations for a stronger economy across every part of the United Kingdom as the country continues its recovery from the pandemic.
The Budget prioritises helping working families and vulnerable households. It helps with the recent rise in the cost of living and includes a significant tax cut for low-income families benefiting from Universal Credit by cutting the taper rate from 63per cent to 55per cent. The Chancellor also announced a freeze in alcohol duty.
Some other key announcements include:
- National living wage –6.6 per cent increase in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour–giving a £1,000 pay rise to 2 million of the lowest paid–lifting pay restraints for public sector workers
- Local Roads Maintenance – in the East of England over £411 million for local roads maintenance over the next three years.
- 50% cut in business rates next year for 90% of retail, hospitality and leisure - any eligible business–such as pubs, gyms, cinemas, restaurants and hotels can claim a 50 per cent discount on their bills, up to a maximum of £110,000 per business.
- Supporting education recovery – through an extra £1.8 billion to extend learning hours for 16–19-year-olds and to help schools support the most disadvantaged pupils, taking total to almost £5 billion.
- Increasing core schools funding by over £4.7 billion – ensuring reals terms per pupil funding rises to record levels, and £200 million to fund annual Holiday Activities and Food programme.
- Freezes in fuel duty - today the Government is freezing fuel duty for the twelfth year in a row. This is a £1.5 billion tax cut, which means the average driver has saved £1,900 since 2010.
- Net Zero – meeting our £5 billion commitment for buses, cycling and walking.
- Providing R&D investments of £14.2 billion in 2024-25 – including fully funding association to Horizon Europe, increasing core science budgets, and £1 billion for Innovate UK.
You can read the Autumn Budget and Spending Review in full here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1028814/Budget_AB2021_Web_Accessible.pdf
Stephen Metcalfe MP: “Despite the unprecedented challenges caused by the pandemic, this Conservative Government is getting on with the job and delivering on the priorities of the British people.
I welcome the Budget which will make a real difference to people in South Basildon and East Thurrock. The announcements made will help working families with the cost of living, support businesses with their recovery, and invest in our public services so that everyone gets the world-class hospitals, schools, and police services they deserve.”
