The Spring Budget is looked forward to with some hope that we may feel better off after it.
However, not many could claim that after the latest iteration.
It was common knowledge that the Chancellor had little room for manoeuvre owing to the poor state of the public purse. Further, the cut to National Insurance and freeze on Fuel Duty were confirmed before he even stood up at the Despatch Box.
Clearly, a cut to a personal tax is welcome, but it does help working pensioners as they do not pay NI anyway. That does not mean that they don’t need some help of course. It could be why they are still working.
The freeze on Fuel Duty also is welcome as is the reduction in Capital Gains Tax for property investors. Whether or not the latter achieves its goal of getting more properties on the market is moot.
As ever, there is a lot more in the detail, but I think we would agree that it was not an out and out vote winner, so there could be more to come before the General Election is called.
