Waythrough responds to the Chancellor’s Budget

Following weeks of speculation, yesterday Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Autumn Budget. It included some welcome measures to help alleviate pressures on those at the sharp end of health and social inequalities, including lifting the two-child benefit cap – a policy change that is expected to lift thousands of children out of poverty and provide vital financial support to struggling families.

Reeves also announced changes to NHS spending, including £300 million of investment in technology to improve patient services, and the creation of 250 new neighbourhood health centres, expanding more services into local communities. This is welcome, but to truly deliver impact, the government must ensure that charities, which deliver vital support services and are deeply rooted in communities, are meaningfully involved in designing and delivering these centres and shaping how healthcare and wellbeing support is embedded locally.

Closer to home, all eyes are now on the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement which will bring clarity on the Public Health Grant allocations – and the funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery support within it. The government must ensure this funding provides adequate protected funding so that charities, already under growing strain from a range of financial pressures including the increase in employer NICs, can continue to deliver essential support for vulnerable communities.

We know that poverty and inequalities are key drivers of poor mental health and substance use. As communities across the country continue to face the ongoing cost of living squeeze and mounting financial pressures, it is more important than ever to show up for the people we serve – offering compassionate, tailored support that meets their needs and helps them to live a life they value.