UK Autumn Budget: Tightropes & Trade-offs
This Autumn Budget was all about tough decisions. With U.K. public finances under strain, the government opted for caution rather than bold spending cuts or sweeping reforms. Chancellor Rachel Reeves was tasked with walking a fiscal tightrope — carefully weighing the need to support the economy, maintain investor confidence and manage political risk. The strategy: increase fiscal headroom and introduce targeted, backloaded tax rises, with much of the impact postponed until after the next election.
A rollercoaster start
While the Budget largely held few surprises, U.K. markets were temporarily jolted by an unprecedented early leak of forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the nation’s fiscal watchdog. Gilts and sterling swung sharply — rising, falling and rebounding — as investors scrambled to make sense of the headlines.
At the time of writing, both U.K. bonds and the pound had pushed higher in the end, lifted by news that the fiscal gap — the shortfall between government revenues and spending — was less daunting than feared. The OBR also said that the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom — the safety margin, or “buffer”, before breaching fiscal rules — stood at £22 billion for 2029–30, more than double the spring figure (£9.9 billion) and well ahead of market expectations (around £15 billion). Meanwhile, the government’s planned gilt issuance — the amount of new bonds needed to finance its plans — was set at £303.7 billion for 2025–26, slightly below estimates.
To that end, the muted market moves likely reflect that investors had already been incrementally digesting a steady drip of pre-announced and leaked measures in the weeks leading up to the Budget. With the initial volatility fading, attention quickly shifted to whether the government’s backloaded fiscal tightening will stick — and whether Bank of England rate cuts might be pushed further out.
Tax hikes over spending cuts
When Labour assumed office in 2024, one of its manifesto commitments was to hold only one fiscal event each year. The first Budget under the new government was notable for abolishing the Non-Domiciled tax regime, increasing employers’ National Insurance contributions, and reducing the availability of Inheritance Tax (IHT) relief on Agricultural and Business Property.
In recent weeks, widespread debate has emerged about potential breaches of these commitments,¹ fuelled by rumours of increases to headline rates of income tax and changes to other taxes such as IHT and Stamp Duty. Taxation has therefore become a central topic, as the government faces the challenge of balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to support economic growth and public services.
In the end, the Chancellor opted for targeted tax rises rather than sweeping increases or deep spending cuts — including freezing personal income tax thresholds and introducing a cacophony of focused measures (detailed in the next section), making this one of the most complex Budgets in recent memory. The Government has again asked higher earners to contribute more, while walking the tightrope of ensuring that “more” does not increase political instability or undermine investor confidence. Overall, the OBR now expects taxes to reach 38% of GDP by 2030–31 — an all-time high and more than 5% above pre-pandemic levels.
Instead of major spending cuts, the Budget sets out an £11.3 billion increase in expenditure for 2029–30, more than offset by £26.1 billion in expected additional tax revenue. For now, calls for deeper belt-tightening remain unanswered.
Overall, the Budget delivers modest fiscal loosening in the near term, with increased spending and targeted support for households. However, much of the tightening is backloaded, delaying half the impact. The OBR puts the odds of meeting the fiscal mandate with this Budget at 59% — the highest since before the pandemic, but still well below the pre-pandemic cushion of around £30 billion. This leaves little room for error.
Key tax announcements
Despite rumours in the press² regarding potential increases to the headline rate of income tax in the U.K. — which would have represented a departure from the government’s manifesto commitments — there were no increases to the main rates of Income Tax, National Insurance, VAT or Corporation Tax. While the headline rate of Income Tax itself did not change, amendments were made which, while not technical breaches, will impact the number of individuals who pay income tax and bring more into the higher rates.
Manifesto commitments:
- Personal tax threshold freezes extended: The freeze on income tax thresholds — including the personal allowance, higher-rate, and additional-rate bands — has been extended until 2030/31. As wages rise, more individuals will be pulled into higher tax brackets, a phenomenon known as “fiscal drag”. By 2030, the OBR estimates an additional 5.2 million people will be paying income tax, with 4.8 million more in the higher-rate band and 600,000 more in the additional-rate band compared to 2022/23.
- Higher taxes on investment income: From 6 April 2026, the basic and higher rates of tax on dividends will rise by 2 percentage points, to 10.75% and 35.75% respectively. The same increase applies to savings and property income from 6 April 2027, with the top rate on these sources reaching 47%. These changes will directly impact high earners with significant investment portfolios, property holdings, or business interests.
- National Insurance on salary-sacrifice pension contributions: From 6 April 2029, salary-sacrificed pension contributions above £2,000 per year will be subject to both employer and employee National Insurance contributions (NICs).
Capital Gains Tax (CGT): The changes made to CGT in the last Budget, increasing the headline rate to 24%, were maintained, with no additional changes announced.
However, CGT relief on disposals to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) was reduced from 100% to 50% with immediate effect.³ The OBR report forecasts that CGT receipts are expected to reach £20 billion in 2025/26. This is due to evidence of increased asset disposals in 2024/25 to benefit from lower rates ahead of anticipated CGT policy changes at the Autumn Budget 2024.⁴
Inheritance Tax: With much speculation about significant amendments to IHT in the Budget, such as an increase in the Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET) period or the introduction of a lifetime gift cap,⁵ there were, in fact, limited changes to IHT contained in the Budget. These related to last year’s announced restrictions to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), whereby the £1 million allowance will now be 100% transferable between spouses and civil partners where any portion remains unused post 6 April 2026.
Legacy Non-Domiciled / Foreign Income and Gain (FIG) Regime: Regarding the application of IHT to previously excluded property trusts settled by legacy non-domiciled settlors (in existence on 30 October 2024), the government has introduced a cap on IHT trust charges at £5 million. This cap benefits trusts with an IHT exposure arising every 10 years where the trust is valued above approximately £83.4 million — a substantial softening for those settlors who have not unwound their structures and have remained in the UK (or have left but wish to return, previously deterred by a potential substantial IHT exposure on trust assets). The Autumn Budget 2024 gave a partial concession to such trusts by not applying IHT on trust assets for the settlor’s estate on death.
There was much consternation among the legacy non-domiciled community, regarding the application of IHT to their non-UK trusts. These individuals and the professional community have spent the past year providing feedback to the government. It is a positive signal that the government appears to have listened.
Regarding income tax and capital gains, some technical amendments to the newly introduced FIG regime are likely to be introduced. The full format of these is still unknown at the time of writing, but it is understood that the amendments will be minor corrections to ensure the FIG Relief, Overseas Workday Relief and the Temporary Repatriation Facility operate as intended. For more details on these rules, please see our article.
A widening of the temporary non-residence rules will be introduced from 6 April 2026 to include dividends received out of trade profits during a period of temporary non-U.K. residence, meaning that all dividends received during such periods will be chargeable to U.K. tax.
Separately, a welcome announcement is that the government will be exploring how to further develop its tax offering for high-talent new arrivals to the U.K. The government has said it will seek views at a later stage to help shape the design and scope of any possible enhanced tax offering.
Entrepreneurs: The government shows a clear intention to support U.K. entrepreneurs, launching a call for evidence to review how the U.K. tax system supports entrepreneurs, business founders and scaling companies. This is coupled with a three-year exemption from Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT) for companies listing on U.K. markets, effective from 27 November 2025. The call for evidence will close on 28 February 2027, and business owners and stakeholders are encouraged to submit suggestions to help shape future reform.
Investments: In a move to encourage investment in stocks and shares, the government has reduced the cash ISA subscription limit to £12,000 for under-65s from 6 April 2027 (whilst the overall ISA allowance remains £20,000 per tax year) and increased the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) limits to £10 million from 6 April 2026. This is matched with a reduction in income tax relief for VCTs from 30% to 20%.
For more details, jump to ‘budget at a glance’ at the bottom.
A delicate economic balance
The path ahead remains challenging. While stronger growth could ease fiscal pressures and lift revenues, expectations remain subdued. The U.K. is not in stagflation, but slow growth and persistent inflation keep “stagflationary” risks in focus. The OBR’s latest forecasts highlight the tough decisions ahead:
- Growth: GDP is now set to grow 1.5% in 2025 and then average 1.5% a year through 2029 — 0.3% slower than the March forecast. The culprit: even weaker productivity, now pegged at just 1.0% a year in the medium term (down from 1.3%). The OBR’s numbers are now more in line with other forecasters, dialling back earlier optimism.
- Inflation: As measured by consumer prices (CPI), inflation is expected to average 3.5% in 2025 (0.2% higher vs. March), then drop to 2.5% in 2026 (0.4% higher vs. March), finally reaching the Bank of England’s 2% target in 2027, a year later than hoped. Budget measures should shave 0.3% off CPI next year, potentially giving the Bank of England room to cut rates as soon as December.
- Unemployment: Unemployment is expected to remain elevated at around 5% — well above the post-pandemic low of 3.8% seen in 2022 — until 2027. After that, it is forecast to gradually fall towards its estimated equilibrium rate of 4.1%.
Based on current economic projections, the Budget appears fiscally prudent, reflected in increased headroom. But much rests on growth and wage forecasts that may be optimistic, and both revenue gains and fiscal tightening are mostly pushed into later years.
For now, though, this points to limited drag on near-term growth, while inflation is expected to ease — supporting the case for Bank of England rate cuts. We continue to see the Bank cutting to a terminal rate of 3.25% from 4% today. Ultimately, though, without stronger growth, the Budget’s sustainability will remain in question.
Still, long-term challenges persist. Tax hikes are not enough to put U.K. finances on solid ground. Public debt is set to remain elevated, ending the forecast period at 96% of GDP — up from 95% this year and twice the average for advanced economies. Annual debt interest is set to hit £140 billion by 2030–31 and run £5 billion above the March forecast in 2029–30. The Debt Management Office expects gross gilt issuance to average 8.5% of GDP a year, with net issuance at 3.4% — similar to recent years, but highlighting the U.K.’s continued heavy reliance on debt markets.
What it means
The Autumn Budget 2025 will be remembered as much for its dramatic prelude as for its substance.
Against a backdrop of leaks, speculation and a surprise early release of the OBR’s fiscal outlook, the Chancellor delivered a package that was more evolutionary than revolutionary. While headline tax rates remained unchanged, the extension of tax threshold freezes, higher taxes on investment income, and new measures targeting high earners and property owners signal a clear shift towards a broader tax base and increased fiscal contribution from the affluent.
Markets responded with cautious optimism, reassured by the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and the absence of major surprises. Yet, the path ahead remains challenging. With growth subdued, inflation persistent and much of the fiscal tightening delayed until after the next election, the government continues to walk a fiscal tightrope — balancing the need for stability and investor confidence with the political imperative to support households and public services.
Ultimately, this Budget underscores the hard choices facing the U.K.: credible fiscal discipline is essential, but so too is a clear strategy for growth. The real test will be whether today’s careful balancing act can deliver both.
Budget at a glance⁶
- Tax thresholds frozen for an additional three years from 2028;
- The basic and higher rates of dividend tax will increase by 2%, from 6 April 2026;
- The basic, higher and additional rates of property and savings income will increase by 2%, from 6 April 2027;
- The starting rate at £5,000 will be maintained until 6 April 2031;
- Salary sacrifice pension contributions over £2,000 will be subject to National Insurance, from 6 April 2029;
- ISA subscription limits will be maintained until 2030/31 and from 6 April 2027 the cash limit will be reduced to £12,000 for under-65s;
- Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief – unused allowance for the 100% relief (currently at £1 million) will be transferable between spouses and civil partners from 6 April 2026;
- Introduction of a High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) for properties worth £2 million or more; starting at £2,500 per year rising to £7,500 per year for properties valued at over £5 million, levied on property owners not occupiers;
- Remote gaming duty to rise to 40% from 21% while online betting tax will rise from 15% to 25%;
- Electric cars will be subject to a 3p charge per mile they drive;
- Rail fares in England will be frozen for one year from 1 March 2026;
- An increase to the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) limits to £10 million, and £20 million for Knowledge Intensive Companies (KICs) and increase the lifetime company investment limit to £24 million, and £40 million for KICs, with a reduction in the upfront VCT income tax relief from 30% to 20%;
- UK listing relief – from 27 November, transfers of a company’s securities will be subject to relief from the 0.5% Stamp Duty Reserve Tax charge for three years;
- A Call for Evidence that seeks views on the effectiveness of existing tax incentives, the wider tax system for business founders and scaling firms, and how the U.K. can better support these companies to start, scale and stay in the UK. The Call for Evidence will close on 28 February 2026;
- U.K.reporting Cryptoasset Service Providers will be required to report on their U.K. tax resident customers under the Cryptoasset Reporting Framework. Information for first reports to HMRC will be collected from 1 January 2026 and reported to HMRC in 2027;
- CGT relief on sales to EOTs will be capped at 50% from 26 November 2025;
- Two-child benefit cap has been scrapped from 6 April 2026;
- New national minimum wage and living wage.
-
https://www.reuters.com/business/uks-reeves-plans-income-tax-rise-budget-times-reports-2025-11-06/
-
https://www.ftadviser.com/budget/2025/11/26/budget-2025-cgt-now-applies-to-employee-ownership-trusts/#:~:text=An%20EOT%20is%20where%20a,year%20from%202027%2D28%20onwards.
-
https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/OBR_Economic_and_fiscal_outlook_November_2025-8364713188.pdf
-
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/residence-based-tax-regime-technical-amendments/technical-amendments-to-the-residence-based-tax-regime#general-description-of-the-measure
-
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/25/budget-2025-tax-vat-pensions-savings-rachel-reeves
-
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb102a37784b16ecf525/E03444720_Budget_2025_Web_Accessible.pdf
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Experience the full possibility of your wealth
We can help you navigate a complex financial landscape. Reach out today to learn how.
Contact us
