Yesterday, the Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget, setting out measures to help with the cost of living, back local businesses and strengthen the foundations of the economy. While Budget documents often have a national focus, what matters most is what they mean for families, workers and businesses here in Nuneaton.
Below are some of the measures that will make a real difference across our town and villages.
Helping Families with Household Bills
I know that, due to global events, one of the biggest pressures facing households in recent years has been the cost of energy. To help combat this, households in Council Tax Bands A-D in Nuneaton will receive a £100 Energy Payment. This will be paid directly into bank accounts in January at a time when energy costs are often highest.
For families balancing rising household costs, every pound matters. The VAT cut on electricity bills, and the 5p-per-litre fuel duty cut will be extended until next summer. Whether it's helping with energy bills over the winter months or easing pressure on monthly budgets, this support will put money directly back into people's pockets in Nuneaton.
The Budget also includes action to remove gas standing charges from the end of 2027, something that a number of constituents have spoken to me about over the past year. Households in Nuneaton will no longer have to pay significant fixed costs before they've even used any energy. This will save eligible households an average of £45 a year and helps make energy bills fairer, as those who use more energy, pay more of the costs
More Money in People's Pockets
Across Nuneaton, thousands of people work hard every day in our shops, offices, schools, factories, warehouses, and public services, but sometimes that work is not able to cover costs of basic essentials
The Budget's increase in the National Living Wage, from £12.71 to £13.20, will mean that a full-time worker will receive around £910 more per year, easing the effects of the rising cost of living and making sure that people see more reward from their efforts.
At a time when many households are still feeling pressure on finances, I know that higher wages will provide a welcome boost to family budgets in Nuneaton
Backing Local Businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of Nuneaton's economy. From independent shops in our town centres to family-run businesses and local employers across our town, they create jobs and play a vital role in our community. I am very grateful to all of the small businesses who have engaged with me prior to the budget, through roundtable discussions, attending my jobs and futures fair, and inviting me to visit and see the excellent work they are doing. The continuation of business rates relief and support for smaller firms will help many local businesses manage costs and continue investing in growth. 70,000 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses who have a rateable value of less than £18,000 will be taken out of business rates altogether and those with a value of up to £21,000 will also qualify for some relief, meaning that more than half of businesses in those sectors will pay no business rates at all. For other businesses in this sector, rates will be frozen in real terms, so they will not have an increase for the next three years.
These measures are particularly important for our high streets, which are crucial for residents in Nuneaton and the Villages, and will give businesses greater confidence to invest, employ local people and attract customers.
Focusing on Affordable Homes
In Nuneaton, there are over 3000 people waiting for a suitable council home. One of the issues I hear about most from constituents is how hard it can be to secure a home that is safe and affordable and the impact that this is having on local people, who just want somewhere to call home. Since 1980 the number of council houses owned by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has halved, from 12,000 to around 5,600, meaning there are fewer houses for people to move into when needed. This is a problem which is reflected nationwide, and the Government has recognised this, with £9.6bn pledged already earlier this year to build new council homes.
Yesterday, the Chancellor announced a further £1.5bn of funding for the Social and Affordable Homes Scheme, which will support the delivery of 10,000 new houses, ensuring that communities like Nuneaton have access to homes they can afford, to continue building their lives in the local area.
The Government also wants to make sure that home ownership is an achievable goal for those who don’t have access to the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’. That is why they have announced the Your First Home Scheme, which offers equity loans with a reduced deposit and a five-year interest free period to first-time buyers of new-build properties. In Nuneaton this will allow many to now make the dream of home ownership a reality and have a secure foundation to build the rest of their lives on.
Supporting the Next Generation of Workers
I know from visiting schools, community groups and engaging with young constituents that Nuneaton has no shortage of young people with ambition and ideas.
I have been closely monitoring the progress of the Milburn Review into Young People not in Employment, Education and Training and look forward to the full recommendations being published next month. It is reassuring that the Government has taken the initiative in announcing projects to support our young people into work ahead of the publication of the full review.
A big part of this is the investment in apprenticeships. With our own Hercules Academy, based in Nuneaton, I know that there are hundreds of hard-working young people in Nuneaton training in the Construction Sector, and I think it is brilliant news that the Government will require at least 3% of the workforce for any large government construction and infrastructure project to be apprentices, offering a valuable opportunity for those in training to get hands-on experience and build the skills needed for their future work.
But I also know that a lot of young people in Nuneaton are problem-solvers and want to innovate. Whether it's someone starting a business from home, opening their first premises or looking to expand a growing company, support for start-ups can help turn those ambitions into reality. Encouraging entrepreneurship is essential to creating new jobs, attracting investment and building a stronger local economy for the future.
The Government will therefore pilot a Young Entrepreneurs Allowance, ensuring that young people who want to take the risk to try something new are supported in their living costs for the first year of a new business. This will help ensure that Nuneaton doesn’t lose out on some of its most creative minds because of a lack of financial support.
Safer Communities and Support for Women and Girls
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. For many residents, particularly women and girls, these issues are not abstract policy debates but everyday concerns that affect their quality of life. This is an area I feel very passionate about and have worked on alongside my Parliamentary colleagues since my election. I am proud of the great work we have already done, including legislating to make sure that new criminal offences were created for spiking, the screenshotting of intimate images without consent, the making of AI-driven ‘nudification’ tools and more.
However, there is still more work to be done to meet the crucial target of halving male Violence against Women and Girls within a decade. The Government has therefore accelerated the delivery of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, including £13m in 2027/28 to strengthen Law Enforcement Activity.
The Budget also includes £15m of funding focused on tackling misogyny, violence against women and girls, and behaviour that makes people feel unsafe, which will underpin the work of the new National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny. This investment complements wider work to improve public safety, helping to ensure that communities like Nuneaton remain safe, welcoming places where people can live, work and socialise.
A Budget Focused on Everyday Priorities
When speaking to residents across Nuneaton, I consistently hear the same priorities: lower bills, secure jobs, affordable housing, support for local businesses, safer communities and stronger public services.
This Budget aims to address those concerns through practical measures that support working people, encourage business growth and help ease pressures on household finances.
Ultimately, the success of any Budget will be judged by whether people see tangible improvements in their everyday lives. From help with energy costs and rising wages to support for small businesses and investment in community safety, the measures announced yesterday will deliver meaningful benefits for Nuneaton.