Budget 2013: did you see it? What did you like/not like?

[SarahMumsnet]

Morning everyone,

George Osborne will be standing up to give his 2013 Budget at 12.30pm today. With the UK experiencing its longest period of economic stagnation for a century, and the public squeezed between rising fuel costs rise, falling welfare payments and flat-lining wages, the country will be giving him its full attention. In terms of family finances it's possible that the most significant announcement for most of us has been made already: the government outlined its plans for the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme yesterday (read all about it here). But inevitably there'll be plenty more to come - look out for announcements on fuel tax, first time buyers and alcohol (dear to your hearts, we know ... )


Here's a link to the BBC's live stream; for those of you at work who can't see it, we'll post the key announcements as they happen; do tell us what they mean for you.

And for those looking for an at-a-glance rundown of what's been said, we're delighted to welcome back Mark Dampier, head of research at independent financial advisers Hargreaves and Lansdowne, who'll be sending us his bullet-point version of the Budget as soon as possible after Osborne sits down. And Will Hadwen, rights adviser at charity Working Families, which offers advice on advice on employment rights, benefits and tax credits for working parents, will be giving us a breakdown of what the Budget means from their point of view.

Off we go ...

[SarahMumsnet]

oh and from earlier - social care spending cap to be brought forward to 2016 to protect savings over £72,000

[landofsoapandglory]

I'm glad the fuel duty is cancelled.

[Moominsarehippos]

They will find that a silly amount of people will lose their homes.

I don't drink beer.

[SarahMumsnet]

September's fuel duty increase CANCELLED (as widely reported in advance)

[SarahMumsnet]

Booze! he's on to booze ...

[mistletoeoak]

Beers all round then :)

[sweetkitty]

I just thought instead of all this buy your own home thing why not build more council houses?

Affordable rents (which the government gets as revenue), a boost to the construction industry etc?

[Moominsarehippos]

Oh do shut up George. Stop being so condescending.

[PainForLife]

exactly encouraging people to get mortgages they can't afford already has lead to one global recession....how on earth is it a good idea to start the whole process again.... I'm getting very angry now!!!

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

Help-to-buy; helpful to those in work (laughs), will the banks make these loans when they won't lend to small businesses? What about social housing?

Oh, 1% cut in duty on beer. Lets get the UK pissed and they won't care that they can't feed their children or keep them warm. Yeah.

[SarahMumsnet]

Planned rise for all alcohol duties going ahead, with exception of beer. Planned 3p rise in beer duty tax cancelled - in fact he's going to cut it by 1p. "Penny off the pint" from Sunday night.

[MissPricklePants]

he is a twat. Cheaper booze and cheaper fuel is just a token gesture to please people!

[SarahMumsnet]

Let them drink beer ... ?

[Moominsarehippos]

Stupid question... If you don't pay tax, will you not be eligible for state pension? Oooo £10k tax free earnings. Well that's something I suppose.

How many times is he going to say 'hard working families'? I shall have a sip of whisky every time he does.

[SarahMumsnet]

Personal tax allowance to be raised to £10,000 next year, not at the end of parliament, as previously suggested.

[Scruffalo]

banks lending to people who can't afford deposits....that's never caused problems in the past, has it

just another way to try to keep housing costs artificially high IMO

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

When's the next General Election? Is there a party capable of taking over?

Come on, Mumsnet! Let's set one up. We'll do a better job!

[stretch]

He thinks that will appease all the tabloid readers

[Moominsarehippos]

The Mumsnet Party. I like the sound of that.

[Tortington]

he will appease tabloid readers - they are stupid

[SarahMumsnet]

Oh, he's back on aspiration again ... jobs and small businesses to be supported through "the largest tax cut in this budget". Cost of employing people a burden on small firms, so he's creating the "employment allowance" - first £2k of NI bill of small companies removed.

[Moominsarehippos]

'Aspiration' sip
'Hard working families' sip
'Aspiration Nation' two sips

That was short!

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

It's a Daily Fail budget.

[SarahMumsnet]

Moominsarehippos excellent call. Will we all get special hats?

[VictorTango]

Personally I'll be over the moon if this gets the housing market moving.