pre-Budget report 2009

What the pre-Budget report means for your finances

If you’d somehow missed the fact there will be a general election in 2010, the pre-Budget report published on 9 December…

Public sector pensions to be capped

After years of tweaking and sometimes even raiding private sector pensions, the recession has finally prompted the chancellor…

Darling extends support to unemployed

Measures to ease the impact of unemployment among the young and old have been announced in the pre-Budget report.

Support for small businesses

Chancellor Alastair Darling has vowed to stand by small businesses as many struggle to keep their finances on track during the…

50% tax for bankers' bonuses

Hundreds of thousands of bankers have been left reeling after the government introduced a one-off 50% tax on discretionary…

Workers hit by national insurance hike

National insurance contributions will increase by 0.5% in April 2011, in a pre-Budget blow to workers.Chancellor…

Darling confirms controversial telephone tax

Households will be taxed 50p per month for having a fixed-line telephone to fund high-speed broadband, Alistair Darling…

Economic recovery next year, says Darling

Alistair Darling's pre-Budget report admission that public borrowing in 2009 will exceed forecasts was greeted with jeers from…

Could you trade in your old boiler?

Following the success of the car scrappage scheme, Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced the launch of a boiler scrappage…

End in sight for VAT and stamp duty breaks

VAT and stamp duty will both return to normal levels on 1 January 2010, Alistair Darling confirmed in his pre-Budget report…