All-round Budget thread

Ed Miliband was frankly awful. We need constructive opposition in a financial crisis - not blanket negativity.

That's the second of my posts that's gone wrong today - hope Chil's link works instead.

it'll work this time, it looks OK as I post.

adamschic: think The second part of your post summed it up rather well!

They got the "nasty budget" in early last year, and are now moving on. Whether the economy moves on as they hope has yet to be seen.

Some of the figures remain dire - inflation forecasts 4-5%, but growth forecast 2.9% (do those two interact), and still whopping great borrowing and a whopping great debt.

Slightly off topic but to answer the earlier posts on here, my childcare is £12,000 a year for 2 children part time so £22,000 sounds pretty average to me, and we only live in the Midlands.

Link doesn't go anywhere meditrina - It won't answer my question on how much I will receive anyway in 2012, I can't find that info anywhere

Tax Credit Changes Applicable from April 2011 It's all there. And, in just a few weeks' time, we'll be able to check likely awards via the HMRC Tax Credit Calculator which should be updated for the start of the new tax year.

That links to an error page meditrina

page about the tax credit changes.

Flexible working for 16-18 yr olds, what is that all about, thought flexible working was for children under 5 .

Not much in this budget for ordinary people to be jumping for joy about except that he doesn't appear to have announced screwing us over this time around.

Its the earlier announcements I want clarification on

There are no changes to the earlier announcements on tax credits.

Phillipe I did wonder how you were lucky enough to qualify for 86 a day!

I want clarification on the tax credits issue - I'm sure we will be losing most of ours next april (earn over £30k, 2 children and no childcare costs) but would be nice if George could clarify - that's if he even knows

There are some sneaky things in there - in particular, there is a suggestion that state pension might rise automatically in the future in line with increases to longevity. I don't want to work until 75.

86p PER WEEK. Sorry, god, getting totally carried away.

imagine 86p per day. wow.

I'm giong to spend my 86p per day on electricity. Yes. Maybe gas, who knows? It's all so exciting!

Yes, MrsOtter 'family values' are clearly a top priority for this government. Incidentally, was i the only one who fell off my chair last night when it was revealed that one missile aimed at Libya costs £800,000? They fired 115 of the buggers in one night alone. Honestly, is Col Gaddaffi the only evil despot controlling a cruel regime worth bothering about in today's world? I suppose had Sierra Leone been the 5th largest producer of oil in the world our government might have seen fit to become involved in their civil war....

I think its quite a good budget, the raise in the personal allowance for income tax is very welcome as is the cut in corporation tax. Cutting fuel duty should help to try and control inflation which is too high. The simplification of the tax system and the exempting of small companies from new regulations should give them a boost which they need.

Oh yes I'm already planning how I will spend the extra £45 a year the £600 allowance will give me - Oh wait, it will be eaten up by the VAT rise - damm!

I'd say raising the tax threshold was doing a fair bit for families.

Although reinstating the 10% tax band Labour abolished would go further, I'll grant you.

All round misery for the average family then ... Suprising how many times he managed to mention the word 'families' when he is doing nothing to help them

For people asking about tax credits. Tax credit changes were announced last October in the emergency budget and will apply from April.

I was pleased to see him lower the growth forecasts. After all those times when Brown based his plans on ambitiously over-egged growth forecasts it's nice to see a little genuine caution.

Still not convinced the next budget will, what was it, 'screw us over' (nice)? It all depends on how the economy is performing what will happen next.

I hope all the incentives for private businesses actually create jobs rather than just create more profit for the businesses. Trouble is, these measures will take a few years to take effect but the public sector is making thousands of people redundant right now.

As much as the cut in fuel duty is welcome, I hope the other changes to fuel duty for the producers, doesn't mean they raise prices in order to protect their profits. I didn't quite understand that bit in all fairness. I was trying to feed the baby so couldn't give Grotty George my full attention.

Oh, and it looks like any benefit of the increase in the personal tax allowance will be offset by an increase in my pension contributions. Excellent news. :(

Depressing.

carbon price floor. Hmmm, not very good