Labour’s New Budget: What it means for Whalley Range residents

Healthcare services are set to see their largest increase in funding since 2010, with a focus on reducing waiting times and expanding appointment availability. The budget announcements include: - An extra £22 billion for the day-to-day health budget, recognising the NHS's importance to the nation’s health and economy. - An additional £3.1 billion allocated to the capital budget over the next two years to support essential infrastructure improvements. - £1 billion to tackle Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) issues and address the backlog of repairs. - £26 million for new mental health crisis centres, enhancing support for individuals in need. - The budget aims to cut NHS waiting times by providing 40,000 extra elective appointments per week and ensuring patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment. - Investment will expand capacity for more than 30,000 additional procedures and over 1.25 million diagnostics tests through new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, alongside additional beds to manage waiting lists and shift more care into the community. - £1.5 billion is allocated for establishing new surgical hubs and procuring diagnostic scanners, marking the beginning of necessary investment and reform to stabilise NHS performance. These healthcare investments will directly benefit Whalley Range and Manchester residents, ensuring improved access to healthcare services and easing pressures on local hospitals and clinics.

Another important highlight is the increase in wages for workers across the region. - The National Living Wage will rise to £12.21 per hour for full time workers, with the National Minimum Wage also increasing for younger workers aged 18-21. This payrise will benefit many working families in Manchester and Whalley Range, supporting household incomes and helping alleviate financial pressures. - For small businesses, the budget introduces significant support measures, including a £10,500 employment allowance and 40% relief on business rates for the hospitality and leisure sectors. These measures aim to alleviate financial burdens, helping businesses remain viable and continue serving the community. - Implementing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties valued under £500,000, along with 40% relief next year for RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. - Freezing the small business multiplier for one year to shield over a million small properties from inflationary bill increases. - A new funding deal for Greater Manchester will grant the city region greater flexibility to allocate resources, expanding employment support and boosting job creation.

The budget includes several major transport improvements for Manchester: - The TransPennine Route Upgrade between Manchester and York will proceed, ensuring fully electric local and regional services between Manchester and Stalybridge, with additional upgrades by 2026. - Funding will also be allocated to enhance capacity at Manchester Victoria and electrify the Wigan-Bolton line, which are foundational steps toward the broader Northern Powerhouse Rail initiative. - While the national cap on bus fares will rise to £3, Greater Manchester's £2 cap will remain. - There will be continued investment in key roads, including the A57 link between Sheffield and Manchester, improving regional connectivity. - Manchester will also be getting its fair share of the £500 million fund that aims to fix one million potholes a year up and down the country.

Additional announcements that will impact Manchester and Whalley Range residents include: - Crack down on shoplifting, with an end to the £200 rule and more training for police and retailers. - Enhance visible neighbourhood policing by adding 13,000 more neighbourhood officers and PCSOs, supporting frontline policing levels nationwide. - Maintaining the fuel duty freeze and temporary 5p cut for 2025-2026. - Increasing the carers allowance weekly earnings limit to allow carers to work more hours before losing their entitlement. - Preserving the State Pension Triple Lock which will see the basic and new State Pension and Pension Credit’s standard minimum guarantee uprated by 4.1% with over 12 million pensioners gaining up to £475 next year. - Reducing the cap on deductions from Universal Credit to repay debts from 25% to 15% of the standard allowance from April 2025.