The world, in perspective.

<p>Amid global economic storms, the new chancellor has promised to steer the course – with promises of more help to come. Will it be enough?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/28/john-healey-breathing-space-budget-panel-responds">Continue reading...</a>

<p>Tax policy means freezes reduce take-home pay as earnings rise in line with inflation</p><p>Income tax thresholds are set to remain frozen after John Healey’s first budget as chancellor.</p><p>One of the biggest tax rises in recent years has happened without a change in the rates at which people are taxed on their incomes. Instead it has come from success

Scale of chancellor’s plans was modest compared with recent fiscal events

<p>OBR cautions about Middle East war dragging down growth and triggering a fresh cost of living crisis</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-john-healey-offers-100-payment-to-households-to-help-navigate-global-economic-storms">Healey offers £100 payment to households to help navigate ‘global economic storms’</a><

JPMorgan Chase will pay additional taxes of between £100m and £150m as a result of the corporation tax surcharge hike announced by John Healey in his budget on Wednesday - a bill which could renew doubts about the construction of its new London headquarters.

Britain's chancellor unveils first budget of the Andy Burnham era — as watchdog reveals decade-long pressure on living standards.

<p>Payment to 20m homes part of package to help cut energy bills and ease cost of living crisis, paid for by bank windfall tax</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/28/obr-slashes-uk-growth-forecast-for-2027-despite-healey-budget-measures">‘A pretty grim picture’: outlook for UK living standards slashed despite Healey’s budget<

Move to close a loophole brings Britain closer to approaches adopted in Switzerland.

Follow live: Chancellor hit lenders and taxed income from savings and property

<p>Chancellor’s predecessor Rachel Reeves had planned to reduce allowance from £20,000 to £12,000 a year from April </p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/oct/28/john-healey-budget-standing-charges-gas-city-bonds-pound-latest-news-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/u

<p>Chancellor says he will ask Ofgem to remove ‘unfair and outdated’ fixed daily fee, and is also reportedly looking to scrap it from electricity bills</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-latest-updates-john-healey-andy-burnham-labour-uk-politics">Budget 2026 live – latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href

<p>Struggling households, new homebuyers and small shops stand to gain, while banks and online marketplaces could face higher levies</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/22/uk-budget-game-2026-john-healey-labour-andy-burnham">You be the chancellor: play our budget game to see if you can balance the books</a></p><

The chancellor’s first priority in the Budget is to make the UK look prudent again

Chancellor will use Wednesday’s Budget to maintain tax-free limit at £20,000 a year, reversing plan by predecessor Rachel Reeves

Chancellor to pledge extra support for businesses, entrepreneurs and households during ‘difficult moment’

The Chancellor is due to deliver his first Budget.

The Conservatives doubt whether women and girls will feel safer as a result of the funding.

What the POLITICO newsroom will be scouring for as Britain's top finance minister unveils his first budget.

John Healey delivers his first U.K. Budget with less fiscal room, higher spending pressures and bond investors pushing for less borrowing and more growth.

<p>Retirees will get a personal allowance aligned with the new state pension, but experts say it could get complicated</p><p>Retirees in the UK on low incomes are expected to be given a new personal allowance so that they do not have to hand any of their state pension to HMRC.</p><p>The full details are due to be revealed by the chancellor, John Healey, in W

By one measure, John Healey’s budget has already been a success. He has avoided the paralysis that hit the UK before his predecessor Rachel Reeves delivered her tax and spending plans in November 2025. That budget had such an agonisingly long build-up that a combination of speculation and leaks caused jitters in financial markets, property transactions groun

Changes are needed to prevent the full, flat-rate state pension becoming liable for income tax after it rises in April.

The economic is positive now but come January things could become trickier for the Labour government

<p>Chancellor was said to be worried about market-sensitive leaks, yet significant policies have been heavily trailed in the media</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/22/uk-budget-game-2026-john-healey-labour-andy-burnham">You be the chancellor: play our budget game to see if you can balance the books</a></p></l

<p>Chancellor will build on Burnham’s promise that local leaders in England will no longer have to ‘come cap in hand to Westminster’</p><p>Andy Burnham has promised that local leaders in England will no longer have to come “cap in hand to Westminster” ahead of a fresh drive to devolve spending power in next week’s budget.</p><p>In his statement on Wednesday,

The full feasibility study will look in detail at how hosting the Games in northern England could work.

<p>The chancellor has promised ‘breathing space’ for households and small businesses but global events cannot be ignored</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/22/uk-budget-game-2026-john-healey-labour-andy-burnham">You be the chancellor: play our budget game to see if you can balance the books</a></p></li></ul><p>

The softly-spoken former defence secretary is gearing up for the biggest moment of his long political career.

<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2026/oct/16/martin-rowson-john-healey-first-budget-cartoon">Continue reading...</a>