Am I the only one that thinks that the budget is good?!

[isitactuallybadthough]

NC’d for obvious reasons.

I mean it seems that they’re trying to help the working class?

I am not on benefits. I’m also not lucky enough to live in a property worth over £2,000,000. But surely the worst off in society will be better off under this? With the energy bill cut and two child benefit scrap? Also books for libraries, national wage increases. I do understand people feeling frustrated at the pension/ISA parts, that will probably affect DH and I but overall I’m pleased as the worst off will be slightly less worse off?

I'm with you @isitactuallybadthough.

The poverty levels in the UK are terrible. Those of us (myself included) that can afford to need to pay a bit more.

I like this budget too, overall. Like some PP I am average earning working person, not in poverty, but not rich. I am happy to pay a bit more tax to see child poverty decrease and fund public services. I would have liked to see tax loopholes closed for big businesses and more tax for the super rich too.

Side point- I was appalled by the jeering, cheering, rude infantile behaviour in Hoc. A national disgrace. I also hate the partisan 2 party system where the opposition automatically slates whatever the serving govt do or say. Elected officials should work across parties as a representative coalition. They just waste time tit for tat.

I’m not entirely certain. I didn’t want to dig too deep as she was so upset and she would’ve got angry if I questioned her right then. I’m going to ring her shortly and ask more details. However, she’s an intelligent woman who worked in banking all her life so I highly doubt she’s mistaken. Her maths skills are always impressive.

Will report back shortly.

Nope, I agree with you too.

Exactly this imo
Plus encourages a population growth in an already over-populated country (and planet) that doesn't have enough social housing.
That money could have been spent on a million more useful changes.

We’ll have to pay the additional council tax but happy to really. I’m glad they have got rid of the 2 child cap, but not entirely sure how much difference it’s going to make. I still think this government is an absolute joke and will struggle to stay in power.

Some people do make bad life choices. Having a child without thinking whether the Father will stay around and then finding themselves alone. Then doing the same thing again. Rewarding people who make these choices is rewarding a certain behaviour.

Tin hat at the ready but some women do make daft choices and then find actually it’s not as bad as first thought because of the benefits they then become entitled to

As do I.

There’s nothing for growth, nothing for housing and nothing for the NHS. There’s no welfare reform, and the poor will be worse off because the increase in the minimum wage is more than offset by inflation (caused by the last budget) and freezing the personal allowance for longer, putting more of an already low income in the governments hands in the form of tax and national insurance.

I agree. nothing whatsoever to stimulate economic growth - I notice that's been quietly been dropped now. The private sector is essentially propping up everyone else. Unless we can stimulate growth there, the country has no chance of recovery.

It doesn't sound like she has enough private pension to cover the state pension tax so she may not have to pay any more as they won't be taking tax off those with just state pension and her private pension won't cover it all

Improving child poverty has got to be good. Where I think it's not as good is intergenerational inequality and also they could have taxed the mega wealthy a bit more, and raised the personal allowance a little bit.

Unless your mother has an unusually (extremely so) large state pension she shouldn't be taxed at all on it now and the budget won't change that.

Either something is going very wrong, she's got other income you're not mentioning (outside of the £27pm private pension) or you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

There is none.

Increasing income tax would have been more honest than freezing thresholds. It's also more progressive - when you freeze thresholds more of the burden falls on lower earners than when you raise the headline rate. Strong party over country vibes there for me.

A LOT of the measures are also rated as having a high or very high level of uncertainty on what they will raise so only time will tell if it has been a success in raising the money needed for all this extra spending.

I'm cross about the two child benefits cap being lifted but otherwise it doesn't seem too bad. There is some sensible stuff in there but it gets drowned out by the MSM moaning about things like the cash ISA limit being reduced (which my DH is really cross about but as I put some of my allowance in a shares ISA anyway, I don't care about that).

On the two child thing, I'd prefer the money to go into things like Surestart, libraries and childcare tax breaks.

Everyone is affected by the freeze on income tax thresholds which aren’t even going up in line with inflation.

To those who are pleased with this budget, do they not bother you? Or do you not recognise them as de facto tax rises?

I agree. It was a decent safe piece of work which has been received that way despite a jumpy market. Some people are so determined to have been right about doom mongering that they will say anything at this stage not to admit it was fine.

Not everyone but some people are reliant on benefits due to bad life choices. In any case, having children when you are reliant on state benefits is a bad life choice and having more than two children unless you are very secure financially is a bad life choice. I am now subsidising those choices and being penalised for being responsible and having sensible pension arrangements.

And that is what is going to drag the country down further.

The reduction in energy bills with removal of the Green levy, freezing train fares and bus fares for commuters will improve cost of living expenses. Improving the minimum wage and pensions as well as the 2 child benefit cap again helps with individuals having enough to live on. I think guaranteeing school libraries in every primary and secondary school is important, plus investing in playgrounds, and freezing the price of prescriptions. Making PIP assessments face to face again is a good move, and narrowing down the motability cars allowed is also a positive. Yes, I wish there was more I could see for industry but it’s not a disaster which I thought it might have been and I am pleased with where the money is going.

I think it is pretty good on the whole but I've never known a budget that pleases everyone.

Are you always this heartless or just having a bad day?

Yes, workers are wedged between high inflation, stagnant tax thresholds and paying even more tax so that Reeves can save her own skin to pay off her backbenchers to boot.

I’m not surprised some on mn like it but overall the benefit change won’t be wanted. They’ve probably bought some time until the local elections.