Watch this super-brief briefing by Active Outcomes for an at a glance overview of the main points raised in the Autumn Statement. Like what you see? Active Outcomes are policy specialists and can draft briefings to cover any legislation changes in the UK. Contact us at www.activeoutcomes.co.uk for more information.

1. Briefing: Autumn Statement
2013
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2. Headlines
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Growth
Borrowing
Economics
Employment and Tax
Cost of Living
Pensions and Benefits
Business
Education
Infrastructure

3. Growth
Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revise growth forecast
upwards
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2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
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1.4%
2.4%
2.2%
2.6%
2.7%
2.7%

4. Borrowing
Plan to reduce borrowing year on year – potentially leading to
£0 borrowing in 2018/19
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2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
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£111bn
£96bn
£79bn
£51bn
£23bn
£0 (small surplus)?

5. Economics
• Debt to continue to rise – 80% in 2015/16
• Capital Gains Tax for non-UK residents selling property
• £3bn additional departmental savings over next three years

6. Employment and Tax
• Unemployment falling by 7% in 2015 and 5.6% by 2018
• Interest rates may rise (based on Bank of England policies)
• Married Couples Tax Allowance to be introduced in 2015
• Measures to help young people get into employment:
NI scrapped for under 21s, skills training and
apprenticeships

7. Cost of Living
• 2p fuel duty rise scrapped
• Rail fares to rise in line with inflation
• £50 average saving on fuel bills through changes to green
levies

8. Pensions and Benefits
• £2.95 increase in state pension by April 2014
• Pension age to rise to 68 in 2030s and 69 by 2040s
• Welfare cap introduced next year – not including state
pensions or Job Seekers Allowance (as cost fluctuates)

9. Business
• Business rates increases capped at 2% from April
• £1,000 discount for small retail businesses for next two
years – Help for the High Street!
• Funding for Lending scheme to shift focus from mortgages
to small business
• Employer NI contributions scrapped for under-21s

10. Education
• Free school meals for infants
• 30,000 more places at British Universities
• 20,000 more higher level apprenticeships
• Cap on student numbers at universities will be abolished
from 2015

11. Infrastructure
• Loans of £1bn to get new/blocked housing developments
underway
• Tax breaks for shale gas
• Nuclear power station announced for Anglesey

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