Budget 2013: what would you like to see from Osborne on Wednesday?

[SarahMumsnet]

This Wednesday, at 12.30pm, chancellor George Osborne will deliver his 2013 budget. With the UK on the brink of a triple-dip recession, and grumblings among backbenchers about the wisdom of his 'austerity first' course, it looks set to be Osborne's most scrutinised budget yet - and it will affect all of us directly, in terms of the tax we pay, the benefits we receive, and how much we'll be spending on our next bottle of . Many of the changes to taxes and benefits that will take effect this year (such as the increase in the personal tax allowance and the 1% cap on working-age benefits) were announced in December's mini-budget, but key areas that look set to be affected on Wednesday include pensions and childcare (the Daily Mail is already reporting that the government is set to unveil childcare tax breaks worth up to £1500.


With 48 hours to go before Osborne takes to the despatch box, what would your recommendations for this year's budget be?

• Ought cutting the deficit to remain the priority - or should we be concentrating on generating growth by investing in infrastructure projects, even if it means increasing our borrowing in the short term?
  
  
• Have spending cuts been implemented too quickly or should we be cutting harder to get through the pain faster?
  
  
• Is the government doing enough to support families, and if not, what more could be done?
  
  
• And how have the changes since last year's budget affected your households incomes - are you better or worse off?
  
  
  We'll be glued to our screens in MNHQ on Wednesday, and will post the key announcements in the budget thread as they happen - please come and watch with us! And Mark Dampier, who guided us through events last year, will post as soon as possible after Osborne sits down with a roundup of the key points. But until then, let's come up with our own suggestions for what George should be concentrating on. Over to you.

[jollydiane]

when people buy or move house I should think this leads to growth in the whole economy (Estate agents, solicitors, builders, painters, plasterers, home furnishing, DIY retailers, home furnishers, flooring companies, takeaways - as you cannot find where you have packed anything), the list is endless not to mention the VAT, stamp duty tax that the government gets. I think the government needs to spends just a little to help the first time buyer, or builder more affordable housing.

I would also like him to tell me if the deficit is actually coming down. If not why not

[Talkinpeace]

THere are HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of plots of land with planning permission for new homes
(no council blocks, no legislation blocks, ready to start digging tomorrow)
BUT
if the housebuilders DID build them all at once, prices would drop by 25% and the Barratts / Persimmon / Berkely of this world would lose money
so it will not happen

campaign for a tax on land with planning permission - THAT will llosen up the economy

[DorisIsWaiting]

An easy one for Gormless George- Make CTF and Junior ISA's interchangable. We hjave been shafted by our current provider (introducing £30 a year charges from April) but are very limited as to where to move to (don't have much more than the orginal investments but why should the DC's money be eaten up in charges). JISA's are much more prevlent and It could be an easy sweetener for the rest of the shit he'll throw at us

Agree with the freeze on fuel duty, it just adds more to inflation and affects the cost of everything.

yy to bin the bedroom tax give a finncial incentive to downsize (to cover the cost of move /redec) to free up housing stock, but the policy is so badly thought out there are thousands of people worrying about how they will cope on even less money as they need the room for carers etc.

YY to removing additional benefits from rich pensioners and those overseas. It should not be ring fenced.

[TantieTowie]

As a self-employed person, to be able to write childcare off against tax, and now ? when I have a DC in nursery ? not in 2015...

[dangly131]

I would like to see the single child free benefit for a change. I always get shafted and lose money when it is budget time while everyone else benefits. I pay my tax and have done since I left school so it would be nice if they could benefit this category for a change.

[DizzyHoneyBee]

Not to have to pay tax due to very low income. To be entitled to free school meals for my children as the school meals cost me 15% of my monthly income.

[juneau]

My biggest hope would be a major boost for the economy such as an investment in the infrastructure of this country - improving roads, schools, housing, etc. It would provide employment for the millions currently begging for work, it would help this country to advance and improve, and it should help to get our dismal economy to get back on track. Austerity alone is not working, investment in key areas is now urgently needed. You can't keep cutting benefits and not providing jobs for people to do - there must be job creation.

I'd also like to see the untouchable pensioners' benefits being means tested. Everyone should still get their state pension and it should still be index linked. But there are so many wealthy older people - all the pensioners in my family for instance - none of which need a winter fuel payment, free prescriptions or a free TV licence - so those things should only be given to those pensioners who are already identified as being in greater need (those already in receipt of cold weather payments). It's only fair when everyone else is being required to tighten their belts. So far we are not 'all in this together', thanks to Cameron's stupid pledge to leave OAPs untouched.

[juneau]

Oh yes, and childcare to be payable out of gross income, not net. Childcare is taxed twice in this country currently - by the earner and by the provider - so no wonder it's so expensive. I have a friend who desperately needs to go back to work, but she can't because she can't earn enough to pay childcare and the other costs associated with working and actually end up with any money in her pocket - and we're not talking about minimum wage here - this is for a professional woman with 15 years' experience.

[KLou111]

Fuel tax reduction. Sick of having to think about where we go all the time, and double up things like getting shopping on way back from somewhere.
Would also reduce the cost of food, subsequently reduce fruit and veg, and have perhaps a slimmer nation as healthy stuff would be cheaper than fattening crap, therefore saving the NHS a fortune......and breathe........

[Domjolly]

I would ike some suporrt with buying a home the wage we are on should be able to won a home but its simply the desposit if tey had some sort of programme were they would LOAN not GIVE us a down payment which by we would pay that back it would be a big help we just can get the £55k they want for a deposit


Also i would like the schools sorting out they need to invest in some more super heads there are loads of schools here but many are under occupied bevause no one wants to put there children in there i think heads from outstanding schools supporting heads from weaker shools is a good idea

I also agree with this mps housing thing needs sorting

Oh and i think councils should no longer be able to have houses in disrepair for longer than 6 months cant see how you can have people living in hoilday inns whilest council homes lay empty in the same LA

[Domjolly]

Oh my godness just seen some labour mp saying me should borrow more money

Is that not what got us in to this mess living beyond our means any one wft jezze and peas so glad these clowns are not in charge any more

After they almost bankrupt the country sell off all the gold at a low low price fail to save for a rainy day

I laway asgast that people think these clowns have the answer

[Domjolly]

Oh sorry one more fix the tax system to many loop holes if you wrk here , live here then sodding pay your tax HERE

[Talkinpeace]

Dizzyhoneybee : the first £9045 income per year is tax free as of week after next, regardless of the budget

NB
To all of those wanting taxes cut : where will the money come from?
We have a massive deficit (thanks Broon) that will cost us lots and lots more if its not paid down

Domjolly
which ones in particular?

[DoctorWhoFan]

Stop taking money from the poor and needy!

I'm on ESA and Disability Living Allowance. I am NOT well enough to work but live in fear of a letter from the DWP/Atos telling me that in actual fact I AM fit for work. I'm told that there will be a bedroom tax. At present I have to have my carer stay with me several nights a week, and despite a letter from my psych, the local authority are still only paying a single person's allowance for my property and I am having to find the rest of the rent money from my meagre ESA and DLA which should be used to pay for bills and food.

And yet this government want to keep taking what little I have from me. I hasten to add that until very recently I worked full time and certainly paid my fair share in tax thank you very much!

So they need to stop robbing those of us who can do nothing about our situation. The worst of it is that David Cameron had a disabled child and despite being a millionnaire, claimed DLA for that child, and is now taking money from families with disabled children. Bastard!

[survivingwinter]

Yes DoctorWhoFan - how the PM can sleep at night doing what he is doing to families with disabled children after his own experiences is beyond me...

I am crapping myself about more cuts because it will mean DH's job will go and then things will be really bad

Problem is all these cuts to preventative services are storing up major trouble for the future....

[JoCheshire10]

Investment in NHS particularly maternity services & freeze fuel duty.

Would also be helpful for married tax breaks to be reinstated

But none of our wishes will ever happen with this government they'll just cut cut cut.

[Talkinpeace]

the budget has to balance .... you need to say who will pay for the spending you want
we cannot keep borrowing from our children

[Elderwand]

His resignation- ooh imagine the scandal! .

[DizzyHoneyBee]

Talkinpeace, that is good news - I'll hardly pay any tax at all then, thank goodness. The amount of tax I pay is the same as my son's lunches for the month so it will make a huge difference

[KinkyDorito]

I still think we should form our own political party. It's about time sensible people got into government.

I'll call Minister for Education .

[KinkyDorito]

I would change my name from KinkyDorito though as I fear I would not be taken seriously.

[DollyLevi]

I'd like that smug looking multi millionaire to stick his red case where the sun don't shine and stop targeting children, the elderly, the disabled and people who work for a pittance with his austerity measures.

[MrAnchovy]

@Talkinpeace
Dizzyhoneybee : the first £9045 income per year is tax free as of week after next, regardless of the budget

No, the first £9,440 will be free of income tax as of 6th April, but only the first £7,750 will be free of (Class 1) National Insurance.

The figure before the Autumn Statement was £9,205 so I don't know where you got £9,045 from

[SarahMumsnet]

Hey budget-lovers - just to let you know we'll be starting a new thread later this morning for anyone who wants to follow the budget live with us. We'll post what George says as he says it and you can tell us what it means

I'll stick the link in this thread as soon as it's up. See you at 12.30!

[MiniTheMinx]

I second everyone calling for his resignation, a day of public rejoicing would do much good for the economy. Even with higher taxes we could all raise a

Austerity isn't working it is plunging us into a downwards spiral of low productivity, no growth and actually increasing the deficit. It is hurting millions of ordinary people and plunging children into poverty. By 2015 it is estimated that 7.1 million children will be living in poverty.

I would close tax loopholes, either those holding the wonga invest in the economy to create jobs (which they haven't) or the government steps in to redistribute through investment. I would tax income from investments in shares, hedge funds and other financial products at a much higher rate and implement the transaction tax.

Rather than handing out JSA and handing free labour to tesco, I would hand the unemployed a shovel, there is much work that needs to be done, improving schools, fixing roads, building social housing that would give people wages not handouts.

Stop the creeping privatisation of education and health which will eventually put billions into the hands of foreign investors, out of the reach of HMRC.

I would also like to see rail, transport and utilities nationalised.

I'm going to be very disappointed.