Autumn Budget 2026: what UK households can expect on 28 October

Chancellor John Healey will deliver his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026, at about 12.30pm, straight after Prime Minister's Questions. Full documents usually follow about an hour later on GOV.UK. This article explains what has been announced or widely reported before the speech. Nothing is final until the Chancellor stands up, and we will not guess at figures that have not been published. Why this Budget matters for your money Prices are rising faster again. Official figures show inflation (CPI) was 3.5% in the year to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August, partly because of conflict in the Middle East pushing up energy and import costs. Wage growth is about 3.7%, so many households feel little better off. The government has said this Budget will include a set of "everyday fixes" to give families some breathing space. What has been confirmed so far 1. Bus fares: the cap on a single bus fare in England is coming down from £3 to £2, according to Citizens Advice. 2. Import tariffs: tariffs are expected to be removed from more than 100 products, including pantry staples such as baked beans. With earlier cuts, the government says this could save a household up to £21 a year. 3. Mileage for work: the tax-free rate employers can pay for business miles above 10,000 a year is set to rise from 25p to 35p a mile. The government says this helps around three million people who use their own car for work. 4. Carer's Allowance: the "cliff edge" is expected to go. At the moment, earning even a penny over the £204 weekly limit means losing the whole allowance. Instead, it would taper away by £1 for every £1 earned over the limit. What has been widely reported State pension: under the triple lock, the state pension is expected to rise by 3.9% from April 2027, matching earnings growth. That would take the full new state pension to about £250.70 a week. Pensioners and income tax: that rise would push the full new state pension above the £12,570 tax-free personal allowance for the first time. Reports say pensioners whose only income is the state pension will be protected from paying income tax on the difference. Minimum wage: reports suggest the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over could rise from £12.71 to about £13.20 an hour. What probably will not change Capital gains tax rises are reported to be off the table. There is talk of raising the personal allowance, but no official plan has been announced. Income tax thresholds have been frozen since 2021, which means more of your pay is taxed as wages rise. Housing and mortgages Mortgage rates have climbed close to 6% this year and house prices have fallen in parts of southern England. The property industry is hoping for stamp duty changes, but nothing has been confirmed. What you can do now Do not make big financial decisions on rumours. Wait until the Budget documents are published on Wednesday afternoon. Check whether you can get help. Citizens Advice will update its Budget guide with what the changes mean for benefits and the cost of living. Review your regular bills. Whatever the Budget says, the quickest savings for most homes still come from switching broadband, SIM, energy and insurance when a contract ends. The bottom line This looks like a Budget of small, targeted help rather than big giveaways, with pensioners, carers, low-paid workers and commuters the main groups to watch. We will update our guides once the full details are published.