Highlights of Rishi Sunak’s spring Budget

This Budget was never going to be full of tax increases for individual taxpayers and indeed it was not in that there were no income tax rate increases as such. It had been anticipated that this would be an occasion for the chancellor to set out plans for the UK’s economic recovery after the ravages of the coronavirus.

Most urgently there have been calls for certainty on how the Treasury intends to continue its pandemic support measures. Some of these in the now regrettable but inevitable way were leaked in advance of the chancellor’s speech.

Covid-19 support measures

The chancellor has extended the coronavirus job support scheme to September 2021 across the UK. From July as the economy reopens the government will introduce an employer contribution towards the cost of unworked hours of 10% in July 20% in August and 20% in September.

Nigel Morris...