29 h. ago Who is running Britain’s economy – Rachel Reeves or Donald Trump?

The chancellor’s careful calculations for her spring statement are likely to be blown out of the water by a looming US trade war• From more tax to rewriting budget rules: six alternative ways Reeves could raise moneyAs Rachel Reeves powered through her spring statement on Wednesday, telling the country she was “restoring stability to the public finances” few in the House of Commons chamber seemed to know what to make of it all.Reeves’s message did not seem to resonate with the underlying mood of uncertainty and anxiety at home and abroad. Many Labour MP nodded loyally along with her, trying to impress the whips. Others on the government benches looked grave. Growth forecasts for this year had been halved. Money would have to be raised to meet the chancellor’s own fiscal rules, and the poorest would be the ones bearing the brunt. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Should I withdraw a lump sum from my pension, what are the taxes and what are the alternatives?

If you’re nearing retirement it’s vital to make the most of your pension lump sum

Economics

4 d. ago 250,000 more people will face relative poverty after Rachel Reeves’ benefits cuts, DWP says – spring statement live

Department for work and pensions says thousands, including children, will be hit by chancellor’s reforms, as OBR forecasts UK growth to halve in 2025Spring statement 2025: key points at a glanceRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers...

Politics

4 d. ago Reeves announces welfare changes, increased defence spending and new growth forecasts – spring statement live

Chancellor OBR forecasts for UK growth halved in 2025 but up in the remaining years of this parliamentSpring statement 2025: key points at a glanceRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers was Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green party...

Economics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer faces PMQs before Rachel Reeves delivers spring statement – UK politics live

Chancellor is expected to announce further welfare cuts when she outlines departmental spending plansRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers was Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green party, which is in favour of a wealth tax.Across th...

Politics

3 w. ago Council tax to go up in Cardiff as cost of parking permit changes to climb

Opposition groups put forward alternative budgets which included plans to increase council tax by less and trial a new recycling scheme but these were not carried

Economics