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.
Today I can announce that the new NHS Plan will include a new mental health crisis service 👩⚕️👨⚕️ #Budget2018 pic.twitter.com/b0XoA0XWAQ
— HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) October 29, 2018
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.
Chancellor: Today, building on the additional £240m for Social Care winter pressures, announced earlier this month
I will make available a further £650m of grant funding for English Authorities for 2019-20 #Budget2018 pic.twitter.com/Ixej07WCrJ— HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) October 29, 2018
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- The amount that households with disabilities can earn before their Universal Credit award begins to be withdrawn will be increased by £1,000 from April 2019.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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