South Wales Argus - the first place to look for news in Newport and across Gwent

BUDGET 2010: At a glance guide

2:49pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

HERE are the key points from today's budget:

BUDGET 2010: State pension to be linked to earnings

1:32pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The basic state pension will be linked once more to earnings from April next year, with the pension guaranteed to rise in line with earnings, prices or 2.5%, whichever is the greater.

BUDGET 2010: Cider duty hike scrapped

1:26pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Labour's plan to increase the duty on cider by 10% above inflation will be scrapped from the end of this month.

BUDGET 2010: Tax allowance increased by £1,000

1:29pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Personal income tax allowance to be increased by £1,000 in April to £7,475.

BUDGET 2010: National Insurance threshold rises

1:11pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

From April 2011, the threshold at which employers start to pay National Insurance will rise by £21 per week above indexation.

BUDGET 2010: Landline tax abolished

1:16pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Government will support private broadband investment instead

BUDGET 2010: VAT to rise from 17.5% to 20%

1:19pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

On January 4 next year, the main rate of VAT will rise from 17.5% to 20%.

BUDGET 2010: Change in rises to public service pensions

1:01pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

From next year pensions will rise in line with consumer prices.

BUDGET 2010: Health in pregnancy grant abolished

1:03pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The Government will abolish the health in pregnancy grant from April 2011.

BUDGET 2010: Child benefit frozen for next three years

1:03pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Child benefit will be frozen for the next three years.

BUDGET 2010: Housing benefit capped

1:07pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Housing benefit will be reformed with a maximum limit of £400 a week, in a package saving £1.8 billion a year by the end of the Parliament

BUDGET 2010: Welfare shake-up to save £11 billion

1:07pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The total welfare shake-up will save the country £11 billion by 2014/15.

BUDGET 2010: Pension age increased to 66

12:59pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The Government will accelerate the increase in state pension age to 66.

BUDGET 2010: £10 billion needed for pensions gap

12:59pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The OBR today forecasts that by 2015/16, we will be spending over £10 billion a year to meet the gap between pension contributions and payments to the unfunded pensions they support.

BUDGET 2010: Two-year pay freeze for public sector workers

12:58pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The Government is asking public sector workers to accept a two-year pay freeze, with protection for the 1.7 million public servants earning less than £21,000.

BUDGET 2010: Spending cuts of 25%

12:57pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Mr Osborne said his Budget today implies further reductions in departmental spending of £17 billion by 2014/15, with unprotected departments facing an average real cut of around 25% over four years.

BUDGET 2010: Civil List stays frozen at £7.9 million

12:56pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

With the full agreement of the Queen, the Civil List will remain frozen at £7.9 million for the coming year and a new means of support for Her Majesty will be proposed at a later date.

BUDGET 2010: Unemployment will peak 'this year'

12:52pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

The The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) says unemployment will peak this year at 8.1%, then fall each year to reach 6.1% in 2015.

BUDGET 2010: Growth forecast 1.2% this year

12:50pm Tuesday 22nd June 2010

OBR forecasts show growth in the UK economy for the coming five years estimated to be 1.2% this year and 2.3% next year; then 2.8% in 2012, followed by 2.9% in 2013; then 2.7% in 2014 and 2015.