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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:
BishopRock · 15/03/2023 14:51

hattie43 · 15/03/2023 14:49

I think he's done really well . I especially like the help to regenerate areas of the north . The only bit I'm a bit meh with is the pensions LTA which will only effect a minority. I understand it was done to keep doctors and surgeons in work but why open it up to anyone .

I liked the regeneration plans, but was sorry they didn't extend to Cornwall, somewhere that badly needs it as much as the north.

Hoppinggreen · 15/03/2023 14:51

Well this budget is pretty crappy for us but I am ok with that IF (big IF) it genuinely helps people who need it

WasIWasINot · 15/03/2023 14:51

bendmeoverbackwards · 15/03/2023 14:25

Don’t fall for it!

The Tories will be out soon, their policies are meaningless. I’m far more interested in Labour’s policies. We’re just marking time till the next GE.

Except labour don’t actually appear to have any policies.

And this is the thing. If labour don’t get their finger out of their arse soon and start to come up with actual credible policies which make them electable, the tories will win again based on some of the current changes advised. Because if labour don’t have something to counter all that, while some people won’t vote for the tories, they won’t vote for labour either, which means the tories will likely win again.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 14:51

crustybreaddarling · 15/03/2023 14:45

Ooh, all this on top of the 40 new hospitals that Boris promised in 2019, due to be completed by 2030.

Our cups truly overfloweth.

They did open the covid hospitals - they just closed them when the dimwits realised they couldn't staff them. They'll count them towards their figures though Wink

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 14:52

Elphame · 15/03/2023 14:50

Nothing in it for me.

I will benefit slightly from the energy cap being held for 3 months but as a wine drinker that will probably be more than offset from the tax increase there.

Removing the LTA won't tempt me back into work - too late for that to make any real difference to my pension and I no longer have school age children so no benefit there either.

Switch to beer in pubs. You'll be fine.

SpringleDingle · 15/03/2023 14:52

GotABeatForYouMama · 15/03/2023 14:41

Add in also not being able to take shift work or 12 hour days. "what do you mean you've declined those jobs?......a sanction for you"

Anyone who can't see that this is exactly how it will work is blind or stupid. It already works that way now with school aged kids. The area and job hours they require a UC recipient to accept basically equate to 8 - 6pm for the job + 1hr commute. This is for minimum wage stuff. The reply that after-school childcare doesn't run long enough to cover those hours does not prevent sanctions. So now they'll start from 9months and tell women that they have to work 30hours per week between 8 and 6pm up to an hour from home because the government fund childcare for 30 hours. Of course if you work 30 hours over 3 days and commute 2 hours a day that is 40hrs childcare you need and the UC folks won't care that your local nurseries only offer 9 month old places mornings and the job wants you to work afternoons. It's just a stick to beat women with.

justpoppingtotheshops · 15/03/2023 14:53

Childcare reform welcomed but too late for me and my twins 🙄 plus I don't think it really addresses the supply of childcare - many will still say the funded hours isn't enough to cover costs and there is no legal requirement for them to actually offer it. I imagine many ofsted excellent providers may decide just not to

Shame child benefit higher charge inequality still not addressed

Always4Brenner · 15/03/2023 14:53

katmarie · 15/03/2023 13:53

I'm not that impressed to be honest.

He's passed the buck on a lot of the childcare stuff. By the time it's implemented we will be well past the general election. He can say what he likes now, knowing full well that it will be in Labour's hands to deliver. Anyone who has a child over the age of 1 now will likely get limited benefit from it, although might still suffer the detriment of the relaxed ratios in childcare.

He's found eleven billion pounds extra to plough into defence spending, yet barely a mention of the NHS or schools funding, other than childcare related. Our education and health services are on their knees. Likewise nothing about the courts services, which are also struggling horrendously.

TBH the mentions of stronger sanctions for people on UC and separating benefits entitlement from ability to work also make me very nervous.

More fear for the disabled then now what have they dreamed up?

taxpayer1 · 15/03/2023 14:54

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 15/03/2023 13:47

I’m amazed more people aren’t seeing the childcare thing for what it will inevitably end up being.

Its a tactic to lower the age people on benefits (women usually) will have full time work requirements or be sanctioned.

Which with the increase in ratios and the problems that nurseries have been talking about is going to lead to either people being sanctioned because they simply can’t find childcare or children ending up in substandard childcare.

There’s always a hidden meaning behind seemingly generous reforms - the bereavement benefit changes show that very clearly.

Perfect!

MrsSamR · 15/03/2023 14:54

EmGB87 · 15/03/2023 14:32

@Yoshithegreen because people who only just earn the £100k are still struggling. I know it’s all relative and there will always be worse off. But with high mortgages and high outgoings people are really struggling.

2 earners in one house could both earn £99k each and get all the help. But in another household one person could earn £100k and the other £16k and get no help. It doesn’t make sense. I strongly believe it should be household income combined.

@EmGB87 exactly this!

My husband is a high earner (over £100k) but I am on a much lower salary and work part-time to reduce our childcare costs.

Because of the way we do our finances I pay for childcare and my husband for everything else (mortgage/bills etc). When my second DD starts nursery in October the combined costs as we only qualify for 15 hours for my eldest will be more than I earn so he will be supplementing to cover our childcare bill.

His salary is over £100k but his take home is nothing like that as he is taxed so heavily on his earnings and the cost of living is still obviously affecting us. The misconception that people on 6 figure salaries are living in mansions and driving sports cars is completely inaccurate. We live in a modest 3-bed semi in the SW (mortgaged) and share a car between us.

To have once again been overlooked for help with childcare costs is disappointing especially as a family with 2 parents on £99k each would qualify while we don't. It needs addressing properly.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/03/2023 14:55

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 14:50

The sanctions only come in to play if you don't adhere to the process - same as if I just decide to do half a job I'd have a disciplinary process at work.

Yes but you won't be punished through starvation though will you. Do claimants who already are living on a pittance and their innocent children deserve to be sent even further into poverty over a missed appointment.
How are they supposed to look for these jobs if they can't afford the internet access to apply for them.

Elphame · 15/03/2023 14:55

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 14:52

Switch to beer in pubs. You'll be fine.

Don't like beer! I'll just drink gin or whiskey instead

LocalHobo · 15/03/2023 14:56

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

The 'no cap' on the amount paid into pensions before having to pay extra tax will benefit you maybe? Also the fuel duty being frozen will help drivers.

MyBestFriendKenny · 15/03/2023 14:57

If the crisis in early years funding and recruitment isn't addressed in the immediate future there will be very few providers left to deliver more 'free' places for younger children.

Squamata · 15/03/2023 15:00

The real story is that we're underperforming economically compared to all the other European nations because of how the Tories managed Brexit (and how they introduced it to begin with).

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn02784/

They've basically smashed up the living room and now they think that a string of fairy lights on the wreckage will make it ok.

tiger2691 · 15/03/2023 15:01

Work work and then work again, to your grave. The rich, the elite and the Tories need their servants and slaves.

What is Human Capital?

The term human capital refers to the economic value of a worker's experience and skills.

The skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organization or country.

Long-term investment in human capital is crucial for growth and productivity
and for maintaining the UK’s international competitiveness.

As the country adapts to working for longer, the government is committing
to upskilling and retraining workers of all ages.

What is the simple definition of commodity?
A commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Commodities are most often used as inputs in the production of other goods or services.
........................
The government’s employment strategy will focus support towards those groups where inactivity levels are high or where employment support is most needed, including the long-term sick and disabled, welfare recipients, people aged over 50, and parents.
..................
The long-term sick and disabled – there are more than 2.5 million people
reporting that they are inactive due to long-term sickness, an increase of 26%
since 2018. The disability employment rate in Q3 2022 was 30 percentage
points below the employment rate for non-disabled people.

• Welfare recipients – there are around 1.4 million people in Universal Credit’s
most intensive work search regime, who are either unemployed or on low
earnings and as such are expected to look for work or increase their hours. If
the size of this group was reduced by around 15%, there would be an additional
200,000 people in work or with higher earnings.

• Older workers – the UK’s inactivity rate for 55 to 64 year-olds is higher than
that of the best performing economies in the OECD. Matching the 55 to 64
inactivity rate of Sweden, a top performer, would add more than 1 million older
workers to the labour force.

• Parents – there are 1.7 million people in the UK who report looking after their
family or home as their main reason for inactivity. Parents in the UK can face
high childcare costs with net costs representing nearly 30% of the average
wage for a couple with two children; that is approximately double that of the
OECD average. The UK’s female inactivity rate is higher than that of the best
performing economies in the OECD. Matching the female inactivity rate of
the Netherlands, a top performer, would add more than 1 million people to the
labour force.

The government will embed tailored employment support within mental
health and MSK services in England, including expanding the well-established and successful Individual Placement and Support (IPS) scheme, and scaling up MSK hubs in the community. The government will also digitise the NHS Health Check to identify and prevent more cases of cardiovascular disease. These measures will support people with long-term health conditions to access the services they need, effectively manage their conditions and feel supported to return to or remain in employment.

The government will also pilot a new programme, WorkWell, to better integrate employment and health support for those with health conditions, supporting individuals into employment and to remain in work.

To support those claiming benefits who are long-term sick and disabled,
the government is publishing a Health and Disability White Paper. This sets out
ambitious and extensive reforms to make sure those with disabilities have the
right support, opportunities, and incentives to move into and remain in work. The Work Capability Assessment will be abolished and eligibility for the health top-up in Universal Credit will be passported via the Personal Independence Payment benefit. Claimants will benefit from tailored Work Coach support and be able to try work without fear of losing their benefits.

The government will introduce a new programme to support people with
disabilities and long-term sickness into work. A new Universal Support programme will match individuals in England and Wales who want to work with existing job vacancies, and ensure they are supported to enter and stay in work by funding the necessary training and workplace support.

The government is strengthening the way the sanctions regime is applied, by automating parts of the process to improve efficiency and reduce error, and ensuring that Work Coaches have the tools and training to implement sanctions as effectively as possible, including for failing to take up a job.

The number of inactive 50 to 64 year-olds has increased by 320,000 since
before the pandemic, with this age group accounting for 65% of the increase in
working-age inactivity over this period. Inactivity among older workers is higher than that of the best performing economies in the OECD (see Box 3.A) The UK has an ageing population, so increasing labour market participation for this group to bring it in line with rates seen in international comparators would grow the economy, while increasing the overall experience of the UK’s labour force.

The government believes that workers of all ages have a vital role to play in
their place of work and the wider economy. Through the policies set out in the
Spring Budget, the government wants to encourage inactive individuals aged
over 50 to stay in and return to work.

The employment rate and hours worked of parents, particularly mothers,
drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age.
There are around 435,000 parents in England with children under 3 years who are inactive due to caring responsibilities.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1142901/Print_Budget_2023.pdf
www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2023

purpledalmation · 15/03/2023 15:02

BramleyAppleHotCrossBun · 15/03/2023 13:43

lol

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

Not everyone has children under 5.

No, but it is a massive heavy financial burden on families with young children and the cost of childcare. I also have no young children, and I think its brilliant. The struggle for women with young DC to return to work is horrendous with no family support.

purpledalmation · 15/03/2023 15:04

And most of us have had over £50 paid off our energy bills? surely that benefits all families? I know not budget, but its been a real help.

purpledalmation · 15/03/2023 15:06

Dibbydoos · 15/03/2023 14:23

OMG are you hearing yourself?

Energy bills have doubled wiping out any benefit from this budget.

We are already in a recession and have been for 18m or so have you not heard how many lay offs there have been.

Wake the F up!

but youve had the government putting £60 or so pounds per month towards your energy bill? I have, unless it was my fairy godmother.

KnittedCardi · 15/03/2023 15:08

I don't have young children anymore, but still was hoping for childcare support and wraparound care. If it helps women re-join the workforce and keep their careers going that's a good thing. I couldn't continue to work way back when, as I was only clearing a £100 or so every month after nursery fees, and my job was really stressful, so I thought sod this, and have been a SAHM ever since.

When I get to retirement age, I hope there will be enough workers to support the OAP's - sooooo, everyone benefits at some point in their lives.

Neededanewuserhandle · 15/03/2023 15:08

BramleyAppleHotCrossBun · 15/03/2023 13:43

lol

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

Not everyone has children under 5.

Actually it is stealing from us - fiscal drag from the freezing of allowances and thresholds is increasing taxes.

DontSetYourselfOnFireToKeepOthersWarm · 15/03/2023 15:09

Really impressed with their deckchair re-arranging skills here on the Titanic.

AnnPerkins · 15/03/2023 15:10

Hintofreality · 15/03/2023 14:16

Hello Mrs Hunt!

Yes, how does it go, interesting first post 🤔

PregnantQuestions · 15/03/2023 15:11

StylishM · 15/03/2023 13:47

@Summerbreeze111

30 hour funding confirmed for children aged 9 months & up.

April 2024 - 2 year olds can access 15 hours

September 2024 - 15 hours for all kids from 9 months +

September 2025 - full 30 hours per week for all children over 9 months

So, only children conceived December 2024 onwards will get the full benefit of the 30 hours funding from 9 months. I'm also pregnant and dismayed at the delay of 18 months for under 2s Sad

I’m also pregnant and my baby is due in July. I wonder if this scheme will help all families with parents who work full time or just those on benefits. My DP and I earn around £55k between us (before vast amount of tax and NI is deducted).

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 15:11

@Awwlookatmybabyspider I would be if I got sacked for not adhering to the terms of my contract.

They can go to a library to look for jobs if they can't afford internet at home. They have to interact with their work coach and in the budget he said there'll be more support helping people find work, and they'll be sanctioned if they don't accept appropriate jobs. Granted, I don't know what is deemed as an appropriate job, but if your choices are to accept work and feed your children or don't and get sanctioned, you take the job.