Budget 2018: what you need to know

Earlier this week (29 October), Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the budget for 2018. Read our handy summary, to find out if and how you’re affected.

Health

  • The government will award an additional £20.5 billion to the National Health Service (NHS) over the next five years.
  • On top of this, an extra £2 billion will be used to improve mental health services across the country, with a new Mental Health Crisis Service being put in place in every major A&E by 2023-24.
  • For children, funds will be used to improve education on mental health, with support teams and crisis teams going into schools.
  • For adults, the NHS aims to expand Individual Placement Support, to ensure those who need it have access, benefitting 55,000 by 2023-24.
  • £10 million will go to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund, to improve mental health services for veterans.

Housing

  • Additional funds of £55 million in 2018-19 will go to the Disabled Facilities Grant, which will be used to provide home aids and adaptations.

Parental bereavement leave and pay

  • Two weeks of bereavement leave will be given to employees who lose a child under 18, or experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Parents will also be able to claim for this period.

Social Care

  • An additional £650 million was announced for English local authorities, to support elderly adults, and adults with long-term disabilities.
  • A green paper (a preliminary report of government proposals) is expected to discuss the future of social care, to create more sustainability in the years to come.

Universal credit

  • £1.7 billion pounds will go towards increasing work allowances in universal credit. This means that people with disabilities claiming universal credit will be an average of £630 better off each year.
  • The amount that households with disabilities can earn before their Universal Credit award begins to be withdrawn will be increased by £1,000 from April 2019.

Work

  • The national minimum wage will increase from April 2019:
    • £7.38 to £7.70 per hour for 21 to 24 year olds
    • £5.90 to £6.15 per hour for 18 to 20 year olds
    • £4.20 to £4.35 per hour for 16 to 17 year olds
    • £3.70 to £3.90 per hour for apprentices
  • The personal allowance for income tax will increase to £12,500, and the higher threshold will go up to £50,00, too.

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