Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, has today welcomed the Government's budget which will benefit working families in Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Stubbington and Hill Head.
Main measures announced by the Chancellor include:
- Freezing fuel duty for the ninth year in a row – saving the average motorist £1000 since 2010
- Bring forward tax cuts to income tax a year early in April 2019 saving a Basic Rate taxpayer £130
- £1.5 billion for high street retailers, and cutting business rates by a third for small businesses
- A £30 billion investment in our transport network, making journeys quicker and easier whilst boosting productivity and improving access, ring-fencing vehicle excise duty raised in England for spending on our roads with £420 million to maintain roads
- A freeze for duties on beer, cider and spirit
- Increase in the National Living Wage to £8.21 per hour putting £690 in the pockets of a full time worker
This is possible due to the Government's effective stewardship of the economy meaning the lowest borrowing since 2001 with the deficit reduced by four fifths since 2010.
This has also allowed the Chancellor to announce increase spending on the following:
- £2 billion boost for mental health funding by 2023-2024, helping people access the mental health support they need
- £650 million for Local Councils for social care
- £400 million for schools benefiting every primary school by £10,000 and every secondary school by £50,000
- £1 billion for Defence ensuring our world class Armed Forces can tackle new threats
Commenting Caroline said: "Today's budget is good news for working families in the Gosport constituency.
Whether it is reducing income tax or putting more resources into fixing potholes or our precious NHS there is much to welcome in the Chancellor's budget.
The Government's balanced approach to keeping our debt low, reducing taxes and investing in vital public services is in stark contrast to the Opposition Parties who want to run up more debt, hitting us all in our pockets."