Budget 2016 - watch it live here, 12.30pm!

[KateMumsnet]

Chancellor George Osborne will introduce his eighth budget at lunchtime today - he's expected to announce fresh spending cuts of £4bn, as well as a radical shakeup for schools in England, with every school becoming an academy by 2020, effectively ending local authority control. He'll also announce new funds to finance a longer day for secondary schools, with heads able to bid for funds for additional school activities and overtime pay.

Join us here to watch live at 12.30pm - and do let us know what you think of his announcements here on the thread.

An extra hour at school? - DC already leave the house at 7.20 and dont get in until 4.15. Cockwomble

how long does a budget take ?? genuine ??

'Britain is blazing a trail'

YakTriangle - Yep you are are right. No one seemed to notice and the media didn't see any benefit to them in reporting it.

No one I have spoken to who receives TC seemed to have any idea.

The TC changes passed through on Monday evening without any debate were about the income disregard. Previously, if your annual income rose by less than £5k in a year, it was disregarded when calculating payments. This will now decrease to £2.5k.

Media reports that people affected may have to repay some/all TC but I'm not 100% sure on that. This change affects us, so I guess I'll find out soon enough...

^This is my understanding of it anyway, I may not have it all right.

It takes at least an hour. Feels a lot longer. It maybe longer. I often fall asleep listening to him rambling on.

Ooh, get whatserface's cleavage!

Not watching as the sight of them makes me sick... however... longer school day is weird. Unless it's supposed to replace a certain amount of homework? That would make sense (so it's probably not that...) More likely to be related to time parents are available for work, and time children are under state influence- in state care.

Bet the money for the disabled is going to be spent on back-to-work schemes, or some kind of centres workhouses to replace benefits/independent living...

I cant watch it, I really cant.

I'm not putting myself through it.

I will log on later to see what they have done to Disabled people.

Normally over an hour, then there is the debate.

However it is worth pawing over the full document when it is available after as the details in there often reveal the full picture the speech misses.

'This is a Conservative Government that is on your side' if you aren't disabled or poor

Every time DC nods he looks like a tortoise

Thank you beyond

I'm going to nod off soon...

LunaLongbottom - My DS school is from 8:45 to 5pm. They don't really get homework so it does balance out as they are given more time to do work in school with guidance as needed(it is a 16-19 Academy).

The school also doesn't have the normal school hols (no 6 weeks off in summer for example).

However from what I have heard of the new plans they may include extra curricular activities and the like, not just full on lessons. The impression I have will homework etc will not reduce. I am not best pleased on this. The long day suits my DS, but my DD cannot cope with a full school day the length it is now (ASD).

Yy, like those tortoises in the old British Gas ads... "easily turn on and offable" They really could've done with putting a bit of powder on his head; he's positively shiny!

My post above should say 14-19 not 16*

The only idea I like is a longer school day! DC at Public schools and Preps / Pre-Preps do just fine with a longer day.

At our nearest Pre-Prep (Reception to Year 2) clubs end at 4:30.

At the Prep (years 3-8) the first set of clubs end at 5:30, second set at 6:30, with the off site ones ending at 7:30.

At the nearest Public school (years 8-13) clubs end at 6:30 or 7:30, however many DC go to study rooms and may stay until 9pm, according to the school website.

coffeeisnectar thank you

yes it may bite in to my afternoon snooze i was planning

'Better together' I'm doing well on the Budget Bingo.

Cut tax for Oil and gas companies from 20% to 10%. Abolished tax on petrol to the production companies.

Who will be paying for these cuts?

Does anyone know how we turn the morons behind him off?

Oh, and I agree that more extra curricular in state schools would be a good thing. Kids shouldn't be expected to sit at a desk all day doing (primarily) maths and English.

Embroidery how are these longer hours going to be paid for? Staff can't be forced to work longer hours. Let me guess, teachers will have to work longer hours and in order to pay for that schools will sack TAs so children needing additional support no longer get it?

Private schools can afford it because parents pay for it.