a:3:{s:7:"widgets";a:2:{i:0;a:7:{s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:4:"text";s:2795:"<p>The Chancellor presented his Budget to Parliament on 22nd November 2017</p>
<p><strong>Here's a summary of what was announced.</strong><br />1. There are over 32 million people in work – near a record high<br />2. Borrowing has fallen by three quarters since 2010, but debt is still high<br />3. An extra £3 billion to prepare for Brexit over the next two years<br />4. £6.3 billion of new funding for the NHS<br />5. Abolishing stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on homes under £300,000 for first-time buyers from 22 November<br />95% of first-time buyers who pay stamp duty will benefit. First-time buyers of homes worth between £300,000 and £500,000 will not pay stamp duty on the first £300,000. <br />6. 300,000 new homes a year, an amount not achieved since 1970<br />7. The National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage will increase from April 2018<br />The National Living Wage for those aged 25 and over will increase from £7.50 per hour to £7.83 per hour from April 2018. Over 2 million people are expected to benefit. For a full-time worker, it represents a pay rise of over £600 a year.<br />8. The tax-free personal allowance will rise with inflation to £11,850 from April 2018<br />9. Fuel duty will remain frozen for an eighth year<br />10. A new railcard for those aged 26 to 30<br />11. Duty on beer, wine, cider and spirits will be frozen<br />12. Duty on tobacco will rise<br />The duty on cigarettes will increase by 2% above inflation. Hand-rolling tobacco duty will increase by 3% above inflation.<br />13. 95% of passengers will not see an increase in their Air Passenger Duty.<br />14. Households applying for Universal Credit will get more upfront support.</p>
<p>15. Electric and driverless cars; An extra £100 million will go towards helping people buy battery electric cars.<br />16. The world’s first national advisory body for artificial intelligence (AI). The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation will set standards for the use and ethics of AI and data. This will allow the UK to lead the world in developing practical uses for the technology.<br />17. More investment in maths and science in schools<br />18. £64 million for construction and digital training courses<br />19. A £220 million Clean Air Fund for local areas with the highest air pollution<br />20. Reducing single-use plastics waste<br />21. Business rates will switch to being increased by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2 years earlier than planned<br />22. Pubs in England will continue to receive a £1,000 business rates discount next year<br />23. Stopping digital multinationals who hold intellectual property in low-tax countries from avoiding tax<br />24. More money for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland<br />25. Funding for transport across England<br /><br /></p>";s:20:"text_selected_editor";s:4:"html";s:5:"autop";b:1;s:12:"_sow_form_id";s:13:"5a1f3c3b445ab";s:19:"_sow_form_timestamp";s:13:"1511998658941";s:11:"panels_info";a:7:{s:5:"class";s:31:"SiteOrigin_Widget_Editor_Widget";s:3:"raw";b:0;s:4:"grid";i:0;s:4:"cell";i:0;s:2:"id";i:0;s:9:"widget_id";s:36:"3a60ee72-d414-465b-8930-975a5acd5613";s:5:"style";a:1:{s:18:"background_display";s:4:"tile";}}}i:1;a:7:{s:5:"title";s:10:"Click here";s:9:"sub_title";s:0:"";s:6:"design";a:6:{s:16:"background_color";b:0;s:12:"border_color";b:0;s:11:"title_color";b:0;s:14:"subtitle_color";b:0;s:12:"button_align";s:5:"right";s:24:"so_field_container_state";s:4:"open";}s:6:"button";a:6:{s:4:"text";s:22:"Download Tax-Data Card";s:3:"url";s:80:"http://www.numbersbalanced.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Autumn-Budget-2017.pdf";s:10:"new_window";b:1;s:11:"button_icon";a:4:{s:13:"icon_selected";s:29:"fontawesome-arrow-circle-down";s:10:"icon_color";b:0;s:4:"icon";i:0;s:24:"so_field_container_state";s:4:"open";}s:6:"design";a:11:{s:5:"width";b:0;s:10:"width_unit";s:2:"px";s:5:"theme";s:4:"atom";s:12:"button_color";s:7:"#eded07";s:10:"text_color";b:0;s:5:"hover";b:1;s:4:"font";s:7:"default";s:9:"font_size";s:4:"1.15";s:8:"rounding";s:4:"0.25";s:7:"padding";s:1:"1";s:24:"so_field_container_state";s:4:"open";}s:10:"attributes";a:6:{s:2:"id";s:0:"";s:7:"classes";s:0:"";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:7:"onclick";s:0:"";s:3:"rel";s:0:"";s:24:"so_field_container_state";s:6:"closed";}}s:12:"_sow_form_id";s:13:"5a1f3c6515da9";s:19:"_sow_form_timestamp";s:13:"1511997312687";s:11:"panels_info";a:7:{s:5:"class";s:28:"SiteOrigin_Widget_Cta_Widget";s:3:"raw";b:0;s:4:"grid";i:0;s:4:"cell";i:1;s:2:"id";i:1;s:9:"widget_id";s:36:"f44fddfd-4ba2-4078-aa00-f9e6f6f9c1eb";s:5:"style";a:1:{s:18:"background_display";s:4:"tile";}}}}s:5:"grids";a:1:{i:0;a:4:{s:5:"cells";i:2;s:5:"style";a:3:{s:14:"cell_alignment";s:10:"flex-start";s:25:"background_image_position";s:10:"center top";s:22:"background_image_style";s:5:"cover";}s:5:"ratio";d:0.41421355999999998065419504200690425932407379150390625;s:15:"ratio_direction";s:5:"right";}}s:10:"grid_cells";a:2:{i:0;a:4:{s:4:"grid";i:0;s:5:"index";i:0;s:6:"weight";d:0.70710678237309998461768145716632716357707977294921875;s:5:"style";a:0:{}}i:1;a:4:{s:4:"grid";i:0;s:5:"index";i:1;s:6:"weight";d:0.29289321762690001538231854283367283642292022705078125;s:5:"style";a:0:{}}}}