Autumn Budget 2025: confirmed changes and what they mean for your money

A simple guide to the 2025 Autumn Budget with confirmed measures, and how the changes could affect your household finances.

I am certainly waiting eagerly to find out what’s going to happen, as a lot has already been announced.

We’ll add the new details from the Chancellor’s speech here once they’re announced. The speech starts from around 12:30 pm on 26 November.

What’s confirmed so far

The Government has already revealed a handful of money related changes ahead of the main Budget.

These early announcements give a clue about the direction of travel, and most of them are aimed at households who have struggled since prices shot up.

Everything in this section has been officially confirmed in advance by HM Treasury.

Prescription charges will stay under £10

The Chancellor has promised that prescription costs in England will stay capped under £10.

For people with long term health issues, this can save a fair chunk over the year.

It also avoids another jump in costs at a time when GP waiting lists are already tough enough.

Rail fares will be frozen

Train fares have been creeping up for decades, so this freeze is a rare bit of good news.

The Government says this is the first proper freeze in around 30 years. It should help commuters and families who rely on trains for work, school travel, or visiting relatives.

National Living Wage and Minimum Wage will go up in April

The National Living Wage is set to rise by around £900 a year for full time workers, and the National Minimum Wage by about £1,500 for younger workers.

It means more money in your pay packet without waiting for a promotion or switching jobs. For anyone on a tight budget, even a small rise can make a difference to the weekly food shop, although it’s still a fair way off the real living wage.

Help to Save extended

The government has confirmed that the Help to Save scheme will be made permanent from 2028 and expanded to support even more low-income households.

At the moment, it offers a 50% bonus on savings for eligible people on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, letting them save up to £50 a month and earn up to £1,200 in bonuses over four years.

From 2028, the scheme will also open to parents on Universal Credit with children in education and unpaid carers who provide at least 35 hours of care a week, bringing an extra 1.5 million people into the scheme.

250 neighbourhood health centres will be funded

The Government also confirmed investment for 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres.

The idea is to make it easier to see doctors, nurses, and community health services without long delays or big gaps in local provision. This is part of the plan to cut NHS waiting lists further.

What is predicted (not confirmed yet)

These are the measures most widely expected by economists, political reporters, and industry experts. Nothing here is guaranteed, and we will update here based on what the Chancellor actually says.

Possible changes to income tax thresholds

Many analysts think the Budget may address frozen tax thresholds. At the moment, millions of workers are pushed into paying more tax simply because wages rise with inflation. A change here could mean a little more take home pay for working families.

A push on energy support

There are predictions of extra help for households struggling with gas and electric costs. This may take the form of a rebate, a targeted support fund, or changes to standing charges. Some energy bodies have warned that high winter bills will return unless action is taken.

More investment in housing and planning

There is strong expectation that the Chancellor will announce measures to speed up housebuilding. This might include easier planning rules, funding for local councils, or support for first time buyers. The aim would be to increase supply so families can access homes that aren’t priced out of reach.

Transport spending and greener travel

Experts expect money for roads, local transport upgrades, and green travel programmes. These usually take time to show up in real life, but they can improve daily journeys and support new jobs.

Skills, apprenticeships, and training

The Government has already talked about improving skills and education. Predictions include new apprenticeship grants or adult retraining schemes. These changes could help people change career paths or gain better paid roles.

What this means for your household budget

If you’re already stretching every pound, even small policy changes can make life easier. Higher wages put more money in your pocket. A rail fare freeze could save a commuting family hundreds over the year. A cap on prescriptions helps anyone with health conditions or a child who ends up needing regular medication.

For families on lower incomes, the Budget is also a sign of where the Government thinks support is most needed.

It’s worth giving yourself a few minutes tomorrow to review the confirmed list and work out how the new rules fit with your weekly budget.

A quick example of how this could affect you

Say you earn around the National Living Wage and rely on a season train ticket for work.

You might see your yearly wage rise by nearly £900 while your travel costs stay the same.

If you also pay for regular prescriptions, keeping those below £10 adds another small saving each month.

Added together, the changes could give you more breathing room.

When the final announcements land

Once the Chancellor has delivered the speech, we’ll update this section with the confirmed measures and explain how each one affects your wallet.

Whether it’s tax changes, benefit updates, new grants, energy help, or housing support, everything will be broken down in a clear, no nonsense way to help you decide what matters most for your family.