Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Really impressed with the budget

437 replies

Fullrecoveryispossible · 15/03/2023 13:34

I’ll give it to the chancellor. He delivered a bloody good budget today. Childcare reform (including increasing rates paid to providers by 30%) and 30 hours free for 1&2 year olds. Uk has avoided recession despite a global pandemic and Ukrainian war, more money on occupational health, plan to get more people into work

OP posts:
GoodChat · 15/03/2023 16:34

swallowedAfly · 15/03/2023 16:32

It sounds like they should fund some budget skills training for people who feel they can't manage on over 100k a year! They clearly need some serious help.

It's before tax though, isn't it, so to be fair if you're a one income family, after you've paid full childcare for 2 children plus pensions for both of you plus tax and national insurance, it soon depletes your income.

swallowedAfly · 15/03/2023 16:37

How does everyone else survive?

taxpayer1 · 15/03/2023 16:39

bubbles2023 · 15/03/2023 16:01

I wouldn't get too excited about the childcare funding. Who is building all these nurseries and training / recruiting all the staff? It's not like nursery work is glamorous and they're grossly underpaid. If anything, this policy will drive more nurseries to close.

Never happy!

Architectahoy · 15/03/2023 16:40

I'd happily retrain from architecture to nursery worker. I'm looking into it!

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 15/03/2023 16:40

bubbles2023 · 15/03/2023 16:01

I wouldn't get too excited about the childcare funding. Who is building all these nurseries and training / recruiting all the staff? It's not like nursery work is glamorous and they're grossly underpaid. If anything, this policy will drive more nurseries to close.

I thought this too. At the moment I have no trust in any policy that would require lots of new people coming into a sector to succeed, especially not when the jobs are one or both of low paid and inflexible. It's not immediately obvious where these workers are going to come from, unless they have some actually workable plan to recruit enough staff to look after the increased numbers of younger children in nursery from the ranks of those parents who currently can't afford childcare.

When it comes to removing barriers to work and increasing the labour force, this isn't as straightforward a win as the decision to increase the maximum pension pot size because it isn't a policy that the government can just make and then it takes care of itself.

Monkeybutt1 · 15/03/2023 16:42

Has there been mention of scrapping the very unfair Child Benefit Higher income charge or whatever its called. I'm sure it was alluded to that it would be reviewed but I can't see any mention of it.

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:43

Where did op go? Back to work with Rishi et al?

guffawing at username ‘fullrecoveryispossible’

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 15/03/2023 16:46

Monkeybutt1 · 15/03/2023 16:42

Has there been mention of scrapping the very unfair Child Benefit Higher income charge or whatever its called. I'm sure it was alluded to that it would be reviewed but I can't see any mention of it.

I haven't heard that. There were rumours last year that Truss and Kwarteng were going to, but it came to nothing.

But if they're looking to remove disincentives to working more, this is an obvious one. If nothing is done, the numbers of people potentially affected is going to increase and some of them are going to choose to work less and/or not bother going for a promotion.

Moveforward · 15/03/2023 16:51

Don't believe what you hear until the details and dates are announced.

In fact, don't believe it will happen until it actually does.

LookingOldTheseDays · 15/03/2023 16:56

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 15/03/2023 16:40

I thought this too. At the moment I have no trust in any policy that would require lots of new people coming into a sector to succeed, especially not when the jobs are one or both of low paid and inflexible. It's not immediately obvious where these workers are going to come from, unless they have some actually workable plan to recruit enough staff to look after the increased numbers of younger children in nursery from the ranks of those parents who currently can't afford childcare.

When it comes to removing barriers to work and increasing the labour force, this isn't as straightforward a win as the decision to increase the maximum pension pot size because it isn't a policy that the government can just make and then it takes care of itself.

Show quote history

Agreed. It is blatantly obvious that the kind of people who will be incentivised to work by the removal of the pension lifetime allowance cap are not going to be looking to work in nurseries.

So where will the workers come from? Obviously not immigration, because the tories are busily trying to demonise 'economic migrants' (aka people who want to work for a living in the UK and contribute to our economy).

IClaudine · 15/03/2023 16:56

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:43

Where did op go? Back to work with Rishi et al?

guffawing at username ‘fullrecoveryispossible’

OP said on another thread that she works in politics...

whatistheworld · 15/03/2023 17:06

are you a Tory party member?

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 15/03/2023 17:10

LookingOldTheseDays · 15/03/2023 16:56

Agreed. It is blatantly obvious that the kind of people who will be incentivised to work by the removal of the pension lifetime allowance cap are not going to be looking to work in nurseries.

So where will the workers come from? Obviously not immigration, because the tories are busily trying to demonise 'economic migrants' (aka people who want to work for a living in the UK and contribute to our economy).

Show quote history

Perhaps all those happily retired wadded fiftysomethings will be enticed back for NMW in a nursery.

swallowedAfly · 15/03/2023 17:12

Or those work shy mentally ill people can be forced to look after your children in nurseries.

FlyOnAWing · 15/03/2023 17:13

Architectahoy · 15/03/2023 16:40

I'd happily retrain from architecture to nursery worker. I'm looking into it!

I have been a nursery worker, if you are serious, do not do it. Most nurseries are terrible employers. The kids are lovely. But you also get aggro from the same parents who complain about everything.

FlyOnAWing · 15/03/2023 17:14

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 16:34

It's before tax though, isn't it, so to be fair if you're a one income family, after you've paid full childcare for 2 children plus pensions for both of you plus tax and national insurance, it soon depletes your income.

Show quote history

I can give you budget advice if you post your outgoings.
Because it sounds like you need it.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 17:15

@FlyOnAWing nah I'm good, and don't earn anything like £100,000 or live in a single income household

ArdeteiMasazxu · 15/03/2023 17:19

I've been looking for clarity on the "30% more for childcare providers" - anything on actual news sites seems to be implying it's just 30% more in the pot, i.e. increasing the number of hours that can be used by 30%, but OP and other non-politician commentators seem to think that it's actually a rate increase - which would be brilliant if true but I would be very cautious about believing such a magnificent gesture of generosity - I would think the whole nursery sector would need to strike for at least 6 months to get such an astonishing pay rise.

SheilaFentiman · 15/03/2023 17:26

ArdeteiMasazxu · 15/03/2023 17:19

I've been looking for clarity on the "30% more for childcare providers" - anything on actual news sites seems to be implying it's just 30% more in the pot, i.e. increasing the number of hours that can be used by 30%, but OP and other non-politician commentators seem to think that it's actually a rate increase - which would be brilliant if true but I would be very cautious about believing such a magnificent gesture of generosity - I would think the whole nursery sector would need to strike for at least 6 months to get such an astonishing pay rise.

The government will also provide £204 million in 2023-24, increasing to £288 million in 2024-25, to substantially uplift the hourly funding rate paid to providers to deliver the existing free hours offers in England.

I assume it's this?

Terven · 15/03/2023 17:32

I agree, good budget. Now he just need to scrap this useless Net Zero policy.

Jezzz · 15/03/2023 17:33

BramleyAppleHotCrossBun · 15/03/2023 13:43

lol

It has 'given' my family, and thousands like us, absolutely nothing.

Not everyone has children under 5.

If more people can work, then GDP goes up, tax income goes up, we all benefit

Sunshine275 · 15/03/2023 17:34

It’s great for families, unfortunately too late for me my second starts school in September after spending thousands on childcare for two children over the last 6 years.

Crinkle77 · 15/03/2023 17:35

Fuck all for me as a single, childless person who likes a drink and the occasional smoke.

OnNaturesCourse · 15/03/2023 17:37

Childcare isn't helpful to those in the trenches right now.

I have a just turned 2 year old so by the time this helps kicks in I'll be getting the usual nursery hours for them anyway..

Greenfairydust · 15/03/2023 17:41

It seems the Tory HQ intern has been put to work...because I really don't see what there is to be impressed with.

This budget is providing a limited amount of help for some people.

Hasn't improved my life one bit....

There is still a cost of living crisis and strikes.

Can't wait to see the back of Tories government.