THE Chancellor’s Budget supports Harlow families, strengthens services like the NHS and schools in Harlow, and puts our country’s finances on a stable footing.

Chris Vince welcomes the good news that the minimum wage will rise for millions of people, including thousands in Harlow. We are beating the forecasts with growth this year. Wages are up more in the first year of this Government than the first decade under the Conservatives.

In the Budget, the Chancellor confirmed the extension of the 5p cut in fuel duty until September next year, benefiting thousands of motorists across Harlow. Local drivers will also benefit from a new price-watching system, which will highlight the cheapest fuel in the area.

Highlighting her commitment to giving every child an equal chance, the Chancellor announced the fully funded removal of the two-child benefit limit, coming into effect in April. This reform is set to deliver the biggest reduction in child poverty in a single Parliament since records began. This is not a political point-scoring exercise – it is the duty of any Labour Government to lift children out of poverty.

Other key measures that will help Harlow include:
Support for households, including a freeze on rail fares, bus fares, and prescription charges.
Scrapping the Eco Energy scheme, reducing household energy bills by an average of £150 from April.
Investment in education and communities, including £5m for libraries in secondary schools, meaning every school in Harlow will have a library, and £18m to upgrade playgrounds nationwide.
Gambling tax reforms, raising Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40% and online betting duty from 15% to 25%, while abolishing Bingo Duty from April 2026. These changes are expected to raise over £1bn per year by 2031, tackling unfair practices in digital gambling and reducing harm to individuals and families.
New council tax surcharges for homes over £2m and £5m, expected to raise over £400m by 2031, ensuring high-value properties contribute their fair share.

The Budget also demonstrates strong government accountability, recovering nearly £400m from dodgy pandemic contracts, while outlining a clear plan to control borrowing and support investment. National debt will total £2.6tn this year, with one in every £10 spent on debt interest, but Labour’s fiscal rules will reduce borrowing and deliver a budget surplus of £3.9bn by 2028/29.

The Chancellor emphasised that this Budget delivers real benefits for families and communities just like Harlow, from cutting child poverty and household bills to investing in schools, libraries, and playgrounds, without resorting to austerity.