“This is a budget to cut the cost of living for hardworking Harlow residents” says Robert Halfon MP

Yesterday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, unveiled plans to cut National Insurance and extend child benefit as part of his Spring Budget. Alongside an extra £20 million to regenerate and rebuild Harlow, local MP, Robert Halfon, says this budget delivers for hardworking Harlow people. 

Last year, the Prime Minister set out his key pledges to halve inflation, reduce the debt, and grow the economy, and this budget builds on that by cutting the cost of living, protecting the NHS and building an even better Harlow. 

Commenting on the Spring Budget, Mr Halfon said, “This is a budget that redistributes money from those with the broadest shoulders to cut the cost of living for lower earners by extending the windfall tax on energy companies and removing the non-dom tax benefits. 

This is a budget that cuts the cost of living due to a further 2% cut to National Insurance saving Harlow residents £900 this year, continuation of the fuel duty freeze and the extension of child benefits offering free childcare to even more hardworking Harlow residents. The budget builds an even better Harlow with an extra £20 million for the renewal of our town on top of what we have already secured. 

“I have always worked hard to build an even better Harlow, cut the cost of living and to protect our NHS. This is a budget for hardworking Harlow families and shows that, with inflation falling, our economy is back on track.

The key measures include: 

Building an even better Harlow 

1. An extra £20 million endowment-style funding to rebuild and regenerate Harlow in the Government's Long-Term Plan for Towns. 
2. This huge funding boost comes on top of the £20 million Levelling Up Fund and the £23.7 million Towns Fund both awarded to Harlow over the past two years following successful lobbying by Mr Halfon.

Cutting the Cost of Living 

1. Another 2% National Insurance cut - the second in six months - will save the average Harlow worker a further £450 this year, taking the total saving to £900 meaning hardworking Harlow people will keep more of the money they earn. 
2. Boosting child benefits by increasing the threshold to £60,000 and halving the rate at which it is repaid – representing a £1,260 boost for hundreds of Harlow families. 
3. Extending the Household Support Fund by a further six months to support the most vulnerable Harlow households with the cost of everyday essentials. 
4. Keeping fuel duty low and saving motorists £50 at the pumps next year, thanks to the previous 5p cut and a further 12-month fuel duty freeze. 
5. Backing British pubs once again by freezing alcohol duty freeze until 2025, helping 38,000 pubs across the UK.

Protecting our NHS

1. Greater funding and reform to the NHS with and extra £2.45 billion for the next year and a new £3.4 billion productivity plan. 
2. Saving money for NHS Harlow, freeing up clinicians’ time to focus on Harlow patients and cutting waiting times for Harlow residents. All part of the plan to deliver the Government’s plan to deliver an even better NHS.