Diary of an MP: What the Budget means for you in Northampton

When people stop me at my surgeries, they rarely ask me about the Budget by name. They ask whether they can afford to put the heating on, or whether their kids will ever be able to buy a home. Those were the questions on my mind as I sat in the chamber making notes whilst the Chancellor delivered his budget. So, I'm choosing to use my column this week to run through what the Budget means for us, as working people here in Northampton. 

Energy bills are top of the list for most families, with prices going up because of conflicts in the Middle East and in Europe. Around 38,290 homes in Northampton South are in council tax Bands A to D, and every single one of them will get £100 paid straight into their bank account in January. The 0% VAT rate on electricity is also being kept until July 2027, government levies on bills are capped at zero until 2030, and the standing charge is being scrapped off your gas bill. I know how much £100 can matter to a family when money is tight, and I think the fact that the Government website crashed because so many people used it to check their council tax band, speaks volumes on the scale of people this will help. Does it fix everything? No. But it offers families some hard earned breathing space whilst the Government gets on with fixing the issues for the long term.  

Housing is another worry I hear about often. Young people tell me they’re paying high rents with little left over to save, and no prospect of ever buying a place of their own. The new 'Your First Home' scheme will let first-time buyers get started on the housing ladder with a 2.5% deposit, and price caps will be based on local house prices. It opens to applicants in early 2027, and my office is on standby to help anyone who wants to find out more about how to apply. 

I want our town centre to be somewhere people choose to spend their time. Independent cafés and shops have struggled with rising costs, and too many empty units have become vape and betting shops. From April, small shops, pubs, cafés and restaurants with a rateable value under £18,000 will pay no business rates at all, up from £12,000 today. Those with a rateable value up to £21,000 will get a reduced bill, and in West Northamptonshire, around 1,288 high street businesses will have their business rates frozen in real terms. Across England, that takes 70,000 more high street businesses off business rates altogether, including roughly 3,500 pubs, 3,900 restaurants and 2,200 cafés. For a small or independent business in Northampton, that’s money back for staff, stock, or keeping the doors open, and it support's exactly the kind of business I want filling our empty units. 

I grew up in a family of teachers, and I heard a lot at the dinner table about children arriving to school hungry. It’s hard to concentrate in a maths lesson when your stomach is rumbling. I’m really pleased free breakfast clubs are now funded at schools including Queen Eleanor Primary Academy and Wootton Park School. It should help parents too, especially those who start work early. 

I got into politics after seeing what years of cuts did to our schools and hospitals. There’s still plenty to do to undo 15 years of cutting services to the bone. But this government has made choices that help families with their bills and young people saving for a home, and I’ll keep making the case for Northampton to get its fair share of that help in Westminster. 

If you’d like to know how any of this affects you, my team can help, or if you have any other issues, don’t hesitate to contact me via [email protected].