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Rishi Sunak will tomorrow give his second Budget after a year that has seen £280bn spent on coronavirus . You can scarcely believe the Commons was packed for last year's spectacle with Tories patting the Chancellor on the back. This time the Chancellor will stand up at 12.30pm to a near-empty chamber in Parliament to announce a plan for recovery. Prepare for an hour-long blizzard of announcements followed by endless spin about how the announcement will change the country. But for all the big policies and the many details, chances are your response to the Budget will come down to just one or two vitally important things. Here are some of the biggest changes you need to look out for that will affect your life. 1. Furlough and business support Furlough is expected to be extended until at least the end of June. And self-employed people will be given a fourth grant under the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS). But the terms and the eligibility will be … [Read more...] about Budget 2021: 5 big changes to look out for from furlough to your taxes

Britain's Covid response is one of the major subjects set to feature in today's 2021 Budget. Rishi Sunak is set to use his House of Commons speech to focus on four themes - "support, vision, recovery, honesty". The Tory Chancellor is tipped to extend the stamp duty holiday, furlough scheme and other Covid support by three months, with the Universal Credit £20-a-week uplift expected to continue for another six months. The Tory Chancellor could also announce a string of other measures to help the economy recover from the pandemic which has inflicted huge debt on the UK. However he is also set to be "honest" about needing to recover £280billion of Covid spending, amid reports of a hike in corporation tax and income tax allowances frozen. What time is the Budget? Mr Sunak will stand up to deliver the Budget straight after Prime Minister's Questions at around 12.30pm. After he has unveiled his plans for the year ahead, Labour will respond before several days of … [Read more...] about What time is the 2021 Budget? What Rishi Sunak is – and isn’t – likely to unveil

When lockdown first hit in March last year millions of business owners up and down the country suddenly found themselves struggling for survival. From bars and restaurants, to hotels and florists, musicians and breweries, to pubs and clubs, they were all left desperately trying to keep their heads above water. Now, 12 months on, many have barely been able to reopen at all and have seen their income all but dry up. But some ingenious entrepreneurs thought outside the box to keep their businesses ticking over during the pandemic and have actually thrived, not just survived. Here we speak to some of the success stories of lockdown. Festivals... to baby lullabies Music agent Mike Deane above has run the popular Liverpool Music Week Festival for 15 years but had to cancel 2020 plans when Covid hit. With no idea when gigs and events might resume he had to think of how to earn cash – and got the inspiration from his young son Sid. Mike explains: “Me and my wife Amy had our … [Read more...] about Five businesses booming in lockdown after completely changing what they did to survive