23 March 2011

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne delivered his first Budget less than three months after the final Budget of the last parliament. The Conservative Party had promised an ‘emergency’ Budget during the election campaign, with a view that quicker action was needed to bring down the UK’s record budget deficit. While the recession officially ended in the last quarter of 2009, recovery has been sluggish and Mr Osborne, together with his coalition partners from the Liberal Democrats, has had to balance the need to raise taxes and cut spending with the dangers of provoking a ‘double dip’ recession.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne billed his second Budget as a “Budget for growth”, telling MPs that it was an “urgent call to action for Britain”. His main ambitions, he said, were to ease the economic burden on families and businesses while promoting Britain as the best place to do business in Europe.

• Summary of key proposals
  Summary of key proposals announced.
  
  
• Setting the scene
  
  
• Duty
  Details of changes to duty.
  
  
• Income tax
  Details of changes to income tax.
  
  
• Business and enterprise
  Details of changes affecting business and enterprise.
  
  
• Housing and mortgages
  Details of changes affecting business and enterprise.
  
  
• Benefits and working families
  Details of changes to benefits and working families.
  
  
• Pensions and retirement
  Details of changes to pensions and retirement.
  
  
• Tax avoidance
  Details of changes to tax avoidance.
  
  
• Charities
  Details of changes affecting charities.
  
  
• The environment
  Details of changes to green investment.
  
  
• Official documents from George Osborne’s 2011 Budget