Hunt makes apprenticeship pledge
Jeremy Hunt today committed £50m over the next two years to boost the number of apprentices in engineering.
The minimum hourly wage for an apprentice will also see a 21 per cent increase to £6.40 an hour from next year.
Bills boost
Households living close to new pylons and electricity substations will receive up to £1,000 a year off energy bills for a decade, the Chancellor has confirmed.
The plans hope to encourage Brits to support upgrades in their areas, which are needed for new electric vehicle charging points.
Hunt lays out growth forecasts
Britain’s growth has been downgraded for the next few years.
According to the OBR’s long-term growth forecasts, Britain’s economy will increase:
0.6% – 2023
0.7% – 2024
1.4% – 2025
1.9% – 2026
2% – 2027
1.7% – 2028
Hunt salutes our veterans
Businesses that hire veterans will be able to continue to claim national insurance relief, the Chancellor has announced.
Jeremy Hunt said the relief will be extended for a further year and that he will also provide £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People Programme.
On defence spending, Mr Hunt said the Government would continue to meet its Nato commitment to spend 2% of GDP.
Housing boost for poorest renters
The Chancellor has announced he will unfreeze the Local Housing Allowance to help private renters on the lowest incomes.
This, he said, will give 1.6 million households an average of £800 of support next year.
Speaking in the Commons, Jeremy Hunt said: “I have listened closely to many colleagues as well as the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Resolution Foundation, Citizens Advice UK and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation who said unfreezing the Local Housing Allowance was an ‘urgent priority.’
“I will therefore increase the Local Housing Allowance rate to the 30th percentile of local market rents.
“This will give 1.6 million households an average of £800 of support next year.”
Some cigarettes to get more expensive
Jeremy Hunt says he is hiking hand-rolling tobacco duty by more than 10 per cent.
It will increase the price of a fags that use hand-rolling tobacco.