Government spending announcements

National security

Reductions in the Official Development Assistance budget (overseas aid) will support an increase in NATO-qualifying defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, with an ambition to increase to 3% in the next Parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow. The Spring Statement accelerates towards this by providing an additional £2.2 billion of funding for the Ministry of Defence next year.

Reform

As announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the government wants to create a more pro-work welfare system for those who can work and to protect those who cannot. These reforms are projected to save £4.8 billion from the welfare budget in 2029/30 and welfare spending will fall as a share of GDP in the medium term.

This will include:

• The Universal Credit health element will be frozen for existing claimants until 2029/30. For new claims, the Universal Credit health element will be reduced to £50 a week in 2026/27 and then frozen until 2029/30.
• The government will increase the Universal Credit standard allowance for new and existing claims above inflation from April 2026, reaching CPI + 5% from April 2029.
• The government will increase checks on potential Universal Credit claimants by introducing more ways to verify the amount of savings they hold, as well as their earnings and expenses.

The government is also looking for efficiencies from the state, including by bringing NHS England back into the Department of Health and Social Care. The Spring Statement announces a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund to drive efficiencies across government.

Growth

According to the government, growth is their central mission.

The government will set out capital spending plans for the Parliament at the Spending Review in June. Ahead of that, the government has announced an additional £2 billion for social and affordable housing for 2026/27, as part of the government's ambition to build 1.5 million homes in England in this Parliament, supported by reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

To ensure the construction industry has the capacity to deliver this government's plan to get Britain building, the government has committed to a £625 million package for skills in construction, expected to provide up to 60,000 more skilled workers this Parliament.