Autumn Budget 2026: What It Means for You

Autumn Budget 2026 Checker: Which Changes Affect Me?

Answer a few questions to see which already-confirmed changes apply to you, with start dates and simple £ estimates, plus a list of items to check after the Budget on 28 October 2026. General information only, not financial advice. Figures as at 21 October 2026.

When Is the Autumn Budget 2026?

The government confirmed the date on 31 July 2026. On the same day the Chancellor wrote to the Treasury Committee to say he had asked the OBR to prepare an economic and fiscal forecast for publication on 28 October, to accompany the Budget. John Healey has been Chancellor of the Exchequer since 20 July 2026.

No start time had been published on GOV.UK when we wrote this guide. We will add it here, with a link to the official Budget documents, once they are available.

The Chancellor has given two pointers. In a speech on 7 September 2026 he said he and the Prime Minister were committed to meeting the government's fiscal rules at the Budget. He also said the Budget would set out 'a roadmap to fiscal devolution', with 'grants from central government replaced by a share of local income tax for every Mayoral Strategic Authority beginning in 2028'. The speech did not say whether this would change the income tax that individuals pay.

Changes Already Confirmed for 2026 to 2031

Most of these were announced at Budget 2025 on 26 November 2025. Several are already law, mainly through the Finance Act 2026; the rest are government policy published by HMRC, HM Treasury or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The 28 October Budget could still alter any of them.

Savers, investors and landlords. Each 2-point rise adds £20 of tax for every £1,000 of income taxed at the new rate. A higher-rate landlord with £10,000 of taxable rental profit would pay £4,200 instead of £4,000 in 2027/28. Interest and dividends inside an ISA stay tax-free. In Scotland and Wales, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd set property income rates for their own taxpayers from 2027/28.

Cash ISA savers. From 6 April 2027, anyone under 65 can pay up to £12,000 a year into cash ISAs. The overall allowance stays at £20,000, so the other £8,000 can only go into other types of ISA, such as stocks and shares. Savers aged 65 or over keep a £20,000 cash limit. HMRC says 78% of cash ISA subscribers under 65 paid in less than £12,000 in 2022 to 2023. Two anti-avoidance rules come with the change: transfers from stocks and shares ISAs into cash ISAs will be restricted for under-65s, and interest on cash held inside non-cash ISAs will face a flat 22% charge.

Pensions and inheritance tax. For deaths on or after 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be counted in the estate for inheritance tax. Death-in-service benefits from registered pension schemes are excluded, and personal representatives will be liable to report and pay any tax due on pensions. The nil-rate band and residence nil-rate band stay frozen until April 2031.

Electric and plug-in hybrid cars. From 1 April 2028 a mileage charge is added to normal vehicle tax. At 8,000 miles a year, that is £240 for a fully electric car and £120 for a plug-in hybrid. Rates rise with CPI from 2029 to 2030. You will be able to pay upfront on an estimate or spread payments over the year, with a reconciliation against your actual mileage.

Homes worth £2 million or more in England. The High Value Council Tax Surcharge is charged to owners, not occupiers, on top of normal council tax. The bands in the government's 2026 consultation are £2,500 a year for homes worth £2m to £2.5m, £3,500 for £2.5m to £3.5m, £5,000 for £3.5m to £5m and £7,500 above £5m, based on 2026 values and rising with CPI from 2029 to 2030. Fewer than 1% of homes in England are expected to be in scope. The consultation closed on 14 July 2026, and the government's response had not been published when we checked.

Salary sacrifice. From 6 April 2029 only the first £2,000 a year of pension contributions made through salary sacrifice stays free of National Insurance. If you sacrifice £5,000 a year, £3,000 would be treated as pay for both employee and employer National Insurance. Income tax relief on pension contributions is unchanged.

State Pension from 2030. The DWP has confirmed that the triple lock continues until April 2030. From then, the basic and full new State Pension will rise by the highest of inflation, 2.5% or the amount needed to keep the pension's value relative to earnings. The DWP calls this the 'adjusted Triple Lock'.

Income tax thresholds. The Personal Allowance stays at £12,570 and the higher-rate threshold at £50,270 until April 2031, with the additional-rate threshold held at £125,140. Employee and self-employed National Insurance thresholds are held at the same levels. Outside Scotland, a pay rise from £50,000 to £52,000 now puts £1,730 into the higher-rate band.

Household electricity. VAT on household electricity in Great Britain fell from 5% to 0% on 1 October 2026. The government estimates this takes about £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap, on top of the £150 of costs removed from bills at Budget 2025. The cut is funded for the 2026 to 2027 financial year, and longer-term action will be decided at the Budget. Northern Ireland follows EU VAT rules on electricity, so its Executive receives comparable funding instead.

What to Watch on 28 October

Nothing in this section is confirmed. The figures are working estimates from official data, so you can see the likely range before the Chancellor speaks.

State Pension in April 2027. The triple lock raises the pension by the highest of earnings growth, CPI inflation or 2.5%. Average earnings growth for May to July 2026 was 3.9% (total pay, ONS). CPI inflation was 3.5% in the year to September 2026 (ONS, published 21 October), below earnings growth. If 3.9% is confirmed as the highest, the full new State Pension would rise by about £9.40 a week, to about £250.70, which is roughly £489 more a year.

State Pension and income tax. At about £250.70 a week, the full new State Pension would come to roughly £13,036 a year, about £466 above the frozen £12,570 Personal Allowance. At Budget 2025 the government said that from 2027 to 2028, pensioners whose only income is the basic or new State Pension, without extra amounts, would not have to pay small amounts of tax through Simple Assessment. It promised more detail later, so look out for it on the day.

Minimum wage. The Low Pay Commission has been asked to give its advice on April 2027 rates by the end of October 2026. Its early estimate for the National Living Wage was £13.02 to £13.34 an hour, with a central figure of £13.18. For a 37.5-hour week worked all year, £13.18 would mean £25,701 before tax, £916.50 more than at £12.71. The 18 to 20 rate is £10.85 now, and the government says it remains committed to aligning it with the National Living Wage.

Fuel duty. Budget 2025 planned to phase out the 5p-a-litre cut from September 2026. On 20 May 2026 the government extended it to 31 December 2026 instead, and the Treasury says it will decide 2027 rates at the Budget. If the whole 5p came back, a 50-litre fill would cost £2.50 more in duty, before VAT.

Income tax, National Insurance and VAT rates. No change to these rates has been announced. Until the Chancellor sets out his plans on 28 October, reported changes are speculation.

What Was Announced on 28 October 2026

The Chancellor presents the Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026. This section will be updated on the day with the measures announced and what they mean for your take-home pay, pension and savings.

How to Use Our Calculators After the Budget

Once the Budget documents are out, these tools let you test the changes against your own figures. Check the tax year shown on each tool before relying on a result.

Pensioners can start with State Pension triple lock explained, then use how much State Pension will I get to check their own record. Hourly-paid workers can use the National Living Wage calculator when April 2027 rates are confirmed.

Savers under 65 can test the new limit with the cash ISA £12,000 cap calculator, and landlords can use the landlord tax 2027 calculator. For household bills, see energy price cap 2026. Employers weighing the salary sacrifice cap can start with the Autumn Budget 2024 employer NI calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Autumn Budget 2026? Wednesday 28 October 2026. The Chancellor, John Healey, will present it alongside a new OBR forecast published the same day. No start time had been published on GOV.UK when this guide was written.

Will the State Pension go up in April 2027? The government has committed to the triple lock for this Parliament, so the full new State Pension (£241.30 a week now) rises by the highest of earnings growth, CPI inflation or 2.5%. Earnings growth for May to July 2026 was 3.9%, which would take it to about £250.70 a week. The rate is not confirmed until the government announces it.

What will the National Living Wage be from April 2027? It has not been decided. The Low Pay Commission's early estimate was £13.02 to £13.34 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, against £12.71 now. Its advice is due by the end of October 2026 and the new rates apply from 1 April 2027.

Is the cash ISA limit changing? Yes. From 6 April 2027, savers under 65 can put up to £12,000 a year into cash ISAs within the £20,000 overall ISA allowance. Savers aged 65 or over keep a £20,000 cash limit.

Which tax rises are already confirmed? Dividend tax rates rose by 2 points in April 2026. Savings and property income rates rise by 2 points from April 2027, when most unused pensions also come into inheritance tax. A mileage charge on electric cars and a surcharge on homes worth £2m or more in England start in April 2028, the salary sacrifice cap follows in April 2029, and income tax thresholds stay frozen until April 2031.

Related Calculators

Triple Lock Guide | How Much State Pension Will I Get | National Living Wage Calculator | Cash Isa 2027 Cap Calculator | Landlord Tax 2027 Calculator | Energy Price Cap 2026 | Autumn Budget 2024 Employer Ni Calculator

Related Guides

State Pension Triple Lock | Employer NI Guide | Capital Gains Tax on Shares