2017 Budget Summary

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has presented his first budget. Here are the key points of the new budget.

The economic forecast

Growth in the UK economy progressed through 2016. The Office for Budget Responsibility now forecasts that the UK economy will grow by 2% in 2017 (up from 1.4% previously). The economy will grow at a slightly slower rate in 2018-20, before picking up to 2% in 2021.

Employment has reached a record high of 31.8 million people. A further 650,000 people expected to be employed by 2021.

Public borrowing and finances

Actual annual borrowing £51.7bn in 2016-17, it is £16.4bn lower than the forecast.

Borrowing forecast for 2017-22.

2017-18: £58.3bn

2018-19: £40.8bn

2019-20: £21.4bn

2020-21: £20.6bn

2021-22: £16.8bn

Debt increased to 86.6% this year, although is expected to fall to 79.8% in 2021-22

Business

£435m to support companies affected by the business rates relief revaluation, that includes £300m discretionary relief to provide help to most affected companies.

From April 2017, pubs with a taxable value no more than £100,000 will be able to claim a £1,000 business rates discount for one year.

£820m allocated for tax avoidance clampdown.

Privately owned small and medium companies will have an extra year to prepare for tax digitisation and quarterly reporting.

Personal taxation

Class 4 National Insurance contribution (NIC) for the self-employed will rise from 9% to 10% in April 2018 and to 11% the following year. All Class 4 earnings higher than £43,000 will continue to be taxed at 2%.

From April 2018, class 2 NIC rate for self-employed who make profit more than £5,965 a year, will be abolished.

Personal tax-free allowance will increase from £11,000 to £11,500 this year and to £12,500 by 2020.

Pensions and savings

From April 2018, tax-free dividend allowance will be reduced from £5,000 to £2,000.

Dividend income paid on shares held in stocks and shares ISA will be kept tax free.

Offshore pension transfers face 25% tax charge, but it will not apply to everyone.

Education

£216m will be invested in existing school for maintenance.

£320m funding will go to new free schools.

£300m investment for 1,000 new PhD places in science, technology, engineering and maths

Over £500m investment in technical education for 16 to 19 year olds. In autumn 2019 new T-levels for 16 to 19 year old technical students will be introduced.

Loans for part time and doctoral students from 2018

Health and social care

Additional £2bn allocated for social care over next 3 years.

In 2017-18 £100m will go to A&E departments to help manage demand before next winter.

£325m investment to proceed with the first NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans.

Nations, housing, infrastructure, Transport, regions, science

£690m for new local transport projects and road improvement and £220m to improve congestion points on national roads, with £90m going to the North of England and £2m to the Midlands.

£270m investment for new technologies such as robots and driverless vehicles.

£16m for national 5G Innovation Network and £200m for local broadband network projects.