John Healey’s first Budget had something for everyone, and a bill for the banks.
Income tax thresholds stay frozen, quietly pulling more earners into higher bands. Savers got a win: the planned cut to the cash ISA limit is scrapped, so it stays at £20,000.
Households in council tax bands A–D get £100, funded partly by a temporary rise in the bank surcharge. The minimum wage rises 3.9%, and tariffs on more than 100 food imports are suspended until December 2028.
The catch? Fiscal headroom shrinks to £14.5B, from £21.7B last November, with more borrowing over the next three years. Less buffer means less room for the next shock.