Autumn budget commentary - what does it mean for you and your financial planning?

The government has delivered one of the most revenue-focused budgets in decades, combining substantial tax rises with selected welfare and cost-of-living support.

At its core sits a clear strategy: raise long-term revenue by freezing key thresholds and taxing wealth and asset income more heavily, while using a smaller number of targeted measures to soften the blow for households under pressure.

Below is a breakdown of the key changes, what they aim to do, and how they could affect your long-term financial planning.

Key budget headlines

Tax rises / tightening

• Personal income tax bands and equivalent national insurance thresholds frozen until April 2031.
• The state pension will rise by 4.8% from April 2026, in line with the triple lock commitment
• Tax relief on VCT investments to fall from 30% to 20% from April 2026.
• Dividend tax rates increased by 2 percentage points from April 2026 (basic rate 10.75%, higher rate 35.75%; additional rate 39.35%).
• Savings income and property income taxed at 22% (basic), 42% (higher), and 47% (additional) from April 2027.
• Salary-sacrifice pension contributions above £2,000 per year to attract employee and employer national insurance contributions from April 2029.
• High-value property surcharge (mansion tax) on homes worth £2 million or more, starting April 2028; charges range from £2,500 to £7,500 per year.
• Cash ISA annual allowance cut from £20,000 to £12,000 (over-65s retain full allowance).

Support/relief adjustments

• Removal of the two-child limit on benefits.
• Targeted welfare and cost-of-living support, including measures for energy bills and other essential services.

The overall package is expected to raise around £26 billion by 2029/30, with the tax-to-GDP ratio projected to reach approximately 38% by 2030–31.

Income tax threshold freeze - fiscal drag intensifies

What changes

Personal allowance (£12,570), higher-rate (£50,270) and additional-rate (£125,140) tax thresholds, plus equivalent national insurance contribution (NIC) thresholds, remain frozen until April 2031.

Why the government did it

As wages grow, more people move into higher tax bands without any change in headline rates, generating revenue gradually. This is fiscal drag, which in simple terms means, pay goes up, tax stays frozen, so more of your money gets taxed.

Planning relevance

This alters long-term take-home pay assumptions. If your earnings rise steadily, revisiting disposable income projections is essential to keep financial plans realistic.

State pension set to increase by 4.8%

What changes

The state pension will rise by 4.8% from April 2026, in line with the triple lock commitment.

Why the government did it

To maintain predictability for retirees while avoiding changes to the state pension system, whilst other tax rules are already shifting.

Planning relevance

For clients approaching retirement, ensuring national insurance records are complete remains essential for maximising entitlement, and long-term retirement plans should incorporate the state pension as a stable base layer, while focusing on tax-efficient withdrawals from other available assets such as pensions and ISAs.

VCT relief to fall from 30% to 20%

What changes

From April 2026, the upfront income tax relief on VCT investments will drop from 30% to 20%.

Why the government did it

The government is updating the rules to allow VCTs to support more growth-focused UK companies and is adjusting the tax relief to reflect the updated structure. The adjustment also reduces the overall cost to the government for providing up-front tax relief.

Planning relevance

Tax relief should never be the sole driver of investment decisions. With the reduction in VCT relief, it is now even more important to ensure any use of VCTs fits within your overall goals, risk appetite and capacity for loss as part of a holistic plan.

Increased tax on dividends, savings and property income

What changes

• Dividend tax increases resulting in 10.75% (basic), 35.75% (higher), 39.35% (additional).
• Savings income: 22%, 42%, 47% from April 2027.
• Property income: same rates as savings income.

Why the government did it

To narrow the gap between labour and asset income, generating an estimated £2.2 billion in additional revenue in 2029/30.

Planning relevance

If you rely on investment, rental, or dividend income, these changes affect how much you take home after tax and reinforce the need for tax-efficient strategies, including ISA and pension planning.

Pension salary-sacrifice changes

What changes

From April 2029, employee contributions via salary sacrifice above £2,000 attract employee and employer NIC. Standard employer contributions remain exempt.

Why the government did it

To close a loophole in national insurance collection, projected to raise £4.7 billion in 2029/30.

Planning relevance

This reduces the relative advantage of salary sacrifice for retirement planning or childcare purposes. Updating contribution assumptions ensures forecasts remain accurate and goals are aligned.

High-value property surcharge (mansion tax)

What changes

Homes worth £2 million or more face an annual surcharge from April 2028: £2,500 for £2–2.5m homes, rising to £7,500 for £5m+ properties.

Why the government did it

A targeted way to raise revenue from high-value property owners without broad-based property tax reform.

Planning relevance

For households with substantial property wealth, these costs influence cashflow, estate planning, and housing decisions.

Cash ISA allowance reduction

What changes

Cash ISA limit reduced from £20,000 to £12,000 (over-65s unaffected).

Why the government did it

To reduce the cost of tax relief on cash savings and align incentives with productive investment.

Planning relevance

With less room for tax-free cash savings, reviewing long-term saving and investment strategies is more important than ever.

Final thoughts

This budget relies heavily on stealth tax increases: threshold freezes, higher taxation on asset income, and targeted levies. While allowances tighten and rules evolve, the most effective response is simple.

Review your long-term financial plan regularly, update assumptions for income and taxation, and avoid decisions based on short-term noise.

To discuss how these changes might affect your personal financial plan, connect with Toby Freeman, Partner at Nova Wealth for a no-obligation consultation.

Risk Warnings

Capital at risk. Prevailing tax rates and reliefs are dependent on your individual circumstances and are subject to change. VCTs should be regarded as higher risk investments. They are only suitable for UK resident taxpayers who can tolerate higher risk and have a time horizon of greater than five years. Owing to the nature of their underlying assets, VCTs are highly illiquid. Investors should be aware that they may have difficulty, or be unable to realise their shares at levels close to or that reflect the value of the underlying assets. We do not provide tax advice. This article does not constitute personal advice.