Budget 2016: Treasury confirms plans to offload Bradford and Bingley loans as part of state-owned assets sell-off March 16, 2016 George Osborne today confirmed plans to offload £16bn of Bradford and Bingley (B&B) loans. The Treasury's Budget 2016 document also laid out plans to sell off several other state-owned assets, including Lloyds Banking Group shares and its Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) holding. The chancellor expects to raise £25bn from RBS by the end of 2019-20. In addition, [...]
Budget 2016: What were chancellor George Osborne’s favourite words used in his speech? March 16, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne has unveiled a range of new measures in his Budget – but he took 9,223 words to do it. He used the speech to draw attention to the benefits of the European Union, unveil measures to clamp down on tax avoidance, while introducing a new lifetime Isa and raising the personal threshold. [...]
Budget 2016: Here’s how Twitter really felt about the Budget – in two perfect charts March 16, 2016 More than 100 tweets per minute were sent about the Budget and that was before George Osborne had even picked up his little red box and started speaking. Nothing else but the Budget could dominate the day on Twitter and that gives a fascinating snapshot into the mind of the nation (or, the Twitterati, at least) and how they [...]
Budget 2016: Here are the reactions to Osborne’s announcements on sugar tax, corporation tax, Insurance Premium Tax, Isas, education and growth prospects March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just announced some Budget surprises – a sugar tax, longer school days – as well as an increase in sin taxes on tobacco, alterations to ISAs and savings, and corporation taxes. Here's what analysts are already saying about the chancellor's latest agenda on… Personal allowance David Kilshaw, private clients services partner, EY [...]
Budget 2016: Commercial stamp duty cut for small firms while large-scale buyers get hit March 16, 2016 Commercial stamp duty has been cut by the chancellor George Osborne in the 2016 Budget, while the government is set to go ahead with plans to increase a duty on buy to let properties and second homes. The stamp duty on commercial property will have a zero rate band on purchases up to £150,000; a two per cent rate on [...]
Budget 2016: Government confirms plans to consult on privatisation of Land Registry, with Advent International and others interested March 16, 2016 George Osborne today confirmed plans to privatise the Land Registry. The proposed sale was announced by the chancellor in his Budget, delivered this afternoon. City A.M. understands buyout firm Advent International and others are considering bids for the agency, which has previously been valued at £1.2bn. Read more: Firms consider bidding for £1.2bn-valued Land Registry The Budget [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s speech in full March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just revealed the Budget for 2016. There was good news for businesses with corporation tax being sliced and business rates being reformed – but bad news for smokers and students who hate maths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Today I report on an economy set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in [...]
Budget 2016: Fuel duty frozen by chancellor George Osborne for the sixth year in a row to save the average driver £75 per year March 16, 2016 The chancellor has said that fuel duty will be frozen for the sixth year in a row, as part of the 2016 Budget. George Osborne claims the move will save the average driver £75 a year. Osborne said: "We had pencilled in an inflation rise, but fuel duty will be frozen for the sixth year in a row. It's the [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne gives pub industry reason for cheer but smokers are out in the cold with minimum pricing on tobacco products March 16, 2016 George Osborne has confirmed the government will freeze duty on beer and cider, and whisky – but said a minimum price will be introduced for cigarettes. The chancellor was unequivocal about his support for the pub and spirits industries, saying: "Today I back our pubs again. I am freezing beer duty and cider duty too. "We [...]
Budget 2016: Ouch. George Osborne cuts capital gains tax – but landlords and buy-to-let investors lose out March 16, 2016 George Osborne has cut capital gains tax during his Budget speech in parliament – but landlords will lose out. The chancellor said the higher rate of the tax, which applies to capital gains on most assets, will fall to 20 per cent, from 28 per cent now, while the basic rate falling to 10 per cent, from [...]