Last week, the Chancellor announced the Autumn Budget in Parliament, setting out key changes to public spending and savings for the rest of the Parliamentary term.  

The Budget takes the fair and necessary choices to deliver on the government’s promise of change. I’ve seen commentary from all sides of the political sphere looking to criticise some of last week’s announcements, often without suggesting a practical alternative. 

Balancing the books is no small task. The Chancellor has increased headroom by £22bn and, at a time where our Debt:GDP ratio is at 100%, secured funding for policies that will directly benefit working people. 

Among the headline announcements affecting Crewe & Nantwich are: 

• Tackling Child Poverty: The government will remove the two-child limit in Universal Credit, helping to reduce child poverty across the country. In Crewe and Nantwich this could benefit an estimated 2,740 children living in households affected by the policy, reducing relative child poverty nationally by 450,000 at the end of the decade. 

• Business Rates: The government is transforming the business rates system and protecting the high street by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, worth nearly £900 million a year. Around 5,340 RHL properties in Cheshire East will benefit from these new lower multipliers. 

• High Value Council Tax Surcharge: The government is making the tax system fairer, so that it works better for ordinary people and those with the broadest shoulders bear the largest load. The average Band D family home pays more in Council Tax than a £10 million property in Westminster, so this government is introducing a High Value Council Tax Surcharge on homes worth over £2 million.  In Cheshire East less than 1% of residential properties are valued over £2 million (estimated). 

• Cost of Living: The government is helping ease the cost-of-living pressures at its source by targeting everyday expenses to: 

• • Save households across GB around £150 on average on their energy bills from April 2026, by removing some levies from energy bills.  

• • As Great British Railways is established, deliver for passengers with the first freeze to nationally regulated rail fares in 30 years. 

• • Implement a one-year cash freeze on NHS prescriptions, saving patients around £12 million next year. 

• • Extend the fuel duty freeze until the end of August 2026 across the UK and introduce Fuel Finder. These measures will save households £89 next year compared to previous plans. 

• • Expand breakfast clubs by launching the application window for 2,000 new schools. 

• • Accept the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission in full and increase the minimum wage for 18-20 year olds from £10 to £10.85 per hour and the living wage from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour. 

• • Increase the state pension by 4.8%, in line with our commitment to the triple lock. 

Of particular importance to us are also new powers for HMRC to tackle illegal working and tax avoidance. 

Earlier this year, a BBC investigation into vape shops across high streets in the UK uncovered organised crime groups, preying on vulnerable immigrants seeking asylum to run shops selling illegal products. 

The investigation documented a mini-mart in Crewe, where two undercover reporters posing as asylum seekers were told how easy it would be for them to take over and run a shop and make big profits selling illegal vapes and cigarettes. 

At the time of the investigation, I called for an increase in local authority capacity to allow Trading Standards to crack down on the illicit schemes. 

I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak with the Chancellor ahead of the budget. I am absolutely delighted that she’s has listened to my calls, and I will set to work ensuring this funding is implemented so that residents get the high streets they deserve.  

It’s clear from the Budget that this government is listening to what working people are saying.