‘We can’t carry on like this’: Shropshire traders reveal their Autumn Budget 2025 hopes and fears as Rachel Reeves calls for Labour MPs to unite ahead of expected tax rises
Traders in a Shropshire market town are fearing more pressure is on the way, and hope the Autumn Budget brings long-awaited relief.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will unveil the Autumn Budget tomorrow (Wednesday), with a series of measures aimed at balancing the books.
It's not wholly certain yet what will be contained in her red box, but it's looking likely it'll include extending the freeze on income tax thresholds, scrapping the controversial two-child benefit cap and making some changes to taxes on high-value homes.
It is also expected the Chancellor will cut the five per cent VAT on domestic energy bills, while the Government announced last week that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years.
This time last year, businesses bore the brunt of a brutal set of hikes in the 2024 autumn Budget, with minimum wage and National Insurance increases, so it's no wonder that businesesspeople around the country are nervously awaiting Wednesday's revelations.
Amid the seemingly never-ending cost of living crisis that is driving customers to tighten their purse strings, business people in Wellington are worried about the high street's ability to weather more storms.
