Chancellor Announces Date For Budget 2026

John Healey, the newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced that this year’s autumn budget will be presented on 28th October 2026.

During this announcement, the chancellor stated the Budget will ‘‘move money and power out of Westminster, and into every postcode around Britain’.

He also stressed that the government would continue to meet its fiscal rules, adding that the Budget would provide businesses and families with the stability they need to plan for the future.

Alongside the Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish its latest economic and fiscal forecast, reflecting its assessment of the government’s plans.

As usual, we will be providing insight into the Budget announcements as further details emerge. If you have any current concerns about how you may be affected by existing or proposed tax measures, please get in touch. We will be happy to discuss your circumstances and help you understand the implications.

ICO Cracks Down on Nuisance Car Finance Marketing

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has searched residential and business premises across the UK as part of an investigation into suspected nuisance marketing linked to car finance mis-selling claims.

The ICO says it has received more than 12 million complaints about nuisance text messages relatingto car finance claims since September 2025.

Search warrants were executed on 29 July 2026 at properties in Bolton, Burnley, Liverpool, London and Swansea linked to five companies under investigation. The businesses are suspected of sending a combined 170 million marketing text messages between September 2025 and May 2026.

The operation involved the ICO, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

The ICO has reminded businesses involved in direct marketing that they must comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), which cover marketing communications such as texts, emails and telephone calls.

The investigation is a reminder that businesses need to ensure their direct marketing practices comply with the relevant rules. The ICO can take enforcement action against organisations that fail to meet their obligations.

Tax-Free Childcare: Could You Save Up To £2,000 per Child?

With the summer holidays underway, childcare costs can quickly add up for working parents. HMRC is using Playday, the national day for play, to remind families about the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, which could help eligible parents save towards the cost of childcare throughout the year.

The scheme can be used to pay for a range of approved childcare, including nurseries, childminders, holiday clubs, breakfast clubs and after-school clubs. It could also be particularly useful during school holidays, when additional childcare may be needed.

How does Tax-Free Childcare work?

For every £8 paid into a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government adds £2, giving eligible families up to £2,000 a year towards childcare costs for each child.

For disabled children, the maximum support increases to £4,000 per year.

The government top-up is capped at £500 every three months per child, or £1,000 for a disabled child.

Parents can open an account for each eligible child and use the money to pay registered childcare providers. There are now nearly 75,000 childcare providers registered to accept Tax-Free Childcare payments.

The scheme isn’t just for younger children, either. Use among families with children aged eight and over has increased by more than 20% compared with the previous year, highlighting that childcare costs can continue well beyond the early years.

Who can qualify?

You may be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if:

• Your child is aged 11 or under, or is disabled and aged 16 or under.
• You and your partner, if you have one, expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage.
• You and your partner each earn no more than £100,000 a year.
• You do not receive Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.

If you’re eligible, you can use the money straight away or build up a balance for future childcare costs. Any unused money can also be withdrawn.

Tax-Free Childcare can also be used alongside government-funded childcare hours, where you meet the relevant eligibility requirements.

Could it help you?

For working families, particularly those facing higher childcare costs during school holidays, Tax-Free Childcare could provide a useful contribution towards the cost.

Employers may also want to make employees aware of the scheme as part of supporting working parents and helping ease some of the financial pressures associated with childcare.

If you’re unsure whether you or your employees could benefit from Tax-Free Childcare, it’s worth checking your eligibility and understanding how the scheme could fit alongside other available childcare support.

Categories: Positive Accountant