The Government’s Spring Budget 2023

Today the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt announced the government’s spring budget.

The main points announced were:

• The energy price guarantee will remain for 3 months.
• From the 1st August, duty on draught in pubs will be up to 11p lower.
• Fuel duty will be frozen and the 5p reduction will remain for a further year.
• Corporation Tax will increase from 19% to 25% meaning that firms that make over £250,000 will pay 25% tax on their profits from April.
• Small or medium sized businesses will be able to claim £27 for every £100 they spend if they spend 40% or more of their total expenditure on Research and Development.
• Disabled benefit claimants will always be able to seek work without fear of losing financial support.
• Sanctions will be applied to those who claim Universal Credit and fail to meet strict work-search requirements or choose not to take up a reasonable job offer. For those working low hours, he says the Administrative Earnings Threshold will rise from the equivalent of 15 hours to 18 hours at the National Living Wage.
• The pensions annual tax-free allowance has increased from £40,000 to £60,000 and will abolish the Lifetime Allowance which was previously set at £1.07m.
• Childcare reforms including incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession or £1,200 if they join through an agency, and 30 hours of free weekly childcare to cover children under the age of 3 for households where both parents are working.

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