IS THAT IT?
£400m for education... but that’s not 1 teaching assistant per school £650m for social care ... but they are still taking away £1.3bn from councils Nothing to fight record crime levels... but another big tax cut for the richest
AFTER eight years of Tory cuts that have crippled education, health and social care, the country was crying out for a Budget to undo the terrible damage.
Instead, Philip Hammond shattered any illusions of better days ahead by failing to stump up anywhere near enough cash to fix the broken system.
The Chancellor was accused of delivering a Budget of stickingplaster solutions that proves austerity is alive and kicking, despite his brass-necked claim it was coming to an end. Mr Hammond boasted of an extra £650million for social care, while still slashing £1.3billion from councils, who fund much of that care.
He failed to pledge any more money for police to tackle soaring crime. And he infuriated teachers by offering cash-strapped schools a £400million payment to “buy the little extras they need” – less than the £420million he promised to fix potholes. The one-off sum would not even cover a teaching assistant’s wage for every school. Mr Hammond confirmed the NHS would get another £20billion but experts warned it was not enough to save the service from collapse.
And there was no promise to halt the hated Universal Credit benefit.
But he did give tax breaks for the better off. Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes led the criticism. He said: “‘Austerity is over’ was a fat lie. The Government is still planning cuts of £1.3billion to councils. £650million goes nowhere near the £2billion needed to stabilise the system. It is still a net cut to local government.” Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes added: “The £650million to prop up the broken social care system just staves off total collapse.”
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services president Glen Garrod said: “This is far short of the £2.35billion we identified would be needed for social care to stand still in 2019/20. This Budget has failed to provide the long-term funding solution social care desperately needs.” Shadow
He offered a sticking plaster to stave off social care catastrophy BARBARA KEELEY LABOUR MINISTER
social care minister Barbara Keeley added: “This short-sighted Government, for the fifth year running, has offered only a short-term sticking plaster to stave off a catastrophic collapse in social care.”
Education chiefs and unions also turned on Mr Hammond, branding his one-off payment for schools “insulting”.
It would equate to an average of £10,000 per primary – not enough to cover the average £19,349 salary of a teaching assistant.
NASUWT union general secretary Chris Keates said: “To suggest that all schools need is a nominal sum to fund the ‘little extras’, when they have faced years of real-terms cuts to budgets is deeply insulting and disingenuous.”
Jeremy Corbyn branded Mr Hammond’s 72-minute speech a “broken promise Budget”.
The Labour leader added: “What we’ve heard are half measures and quick fixes while austerity grinds on.”
Resolution Foundation director Torsten Bell added: “Tough times are far from over.”
On the switch to Universal Credit, the Chancellor boasted he would give an extra £1billion to “aid the transition”. But the Mirror discovered he is putting in just £35million this year.
Even his promise of £2billion for mental health services turned out to be from the £20billion pot Theresa May pledged in June. Mr Hammond announced a tiny increase in growth forecasts, from 1.3% to 1.6% for 2019.
But experts warned his that could be blown apart in a no-deal Brexit.
The income tax personal allowance will rise from £11,850 to £12,500 and the higher rate threshold from £46,350 to £50,000 in April. Campaigners pointed out this helps those on higher wages more than the average worker.
Mr Hammond pledged an extra £500million for no-deal Brexit preparations and £1billion for defence.