Rishi Sunak announced his Budget to the House of Commons this afternoon – revealing the government’s financial blueprint for recovery after one of the most tumultuous economic years on record.
Whilst the image of the Chancellor holding aloft the iconic red briefcase always attracts interest, the build-up to ‘Budget 2021’ had been accompanied by considerable buzz.
Many businesses have only been permitted to trade for a few months since COVID-19 first forced Britain into lockdown last March, whereas some sectors have remained closed entirely.
With an ‘irreversible’ roadmap to reopen the economy now published, millions have been speculating as to whether financial support will remain available – and how the country will get back on its feet.
Here’s a breakdown of everything Sunak had to say in his address to MPs on March 3.
What was in the 2021 Budget?
Sunak’s debut Budget in March 2020 was an anomaly; including a series of policies designed to manage the economic impact of a deadly virus which was, back then, only in its infancy.
But the pandemic quickly spiralled out of control in the aftermath of that address, and the Chancellor has been forced to make regular interventions ever since to keep the economy afloat.
On Wednesday, Sunak announced how the country planned to recover from its £355 billion debt incurred during the past 365 days, as well the financial support that will be accessible.
Sunak unveiled a three-part plan to “protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people”, predicting a “swifter and more sustained recovery” to pre-COVID levels by the middle of 2022.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has resulted in millions of employees being furloughed since March – with the government covering 80% of wages for hours staff cannot work.
Around 11 million jobs have been protected as a result.
The Chancellor confirmed on Wednesday that this furlough scheme is set to be extended until September 2021.
However, as the economy reopens again, employers will be expected to make contributions.
From July, companies will need to pay 10% towards furlough payments. This will increase to 20% in August and September.
The National Living Wage will be increased to £8.91 from April.
The Chancellor also confirmed further support for the self-employed in the weeks ahead.
This includes a fourth grant covering February to April, and a fifth grant from May.
Sunak added: “As the tax return deadline has now passed, 600,000 more people, many of whom became self-employed last year, can now claim the 4th and 5th grants.”
Grants are being made available for retail, hospitality and personal care companies
Sunak also confirmed that the Stamp Duty cut will be extended by three months.
The Chancellor stated: “The new £500,000 nil rate band for Stamp Duty won’t end on March 31, it will end on the June 30.
“Then, to smooth the transition back to normal, the nil rate band will be £250,000, double its standard level, until the end of September.”
Planned duty increases for alcohol and fuel are being cancelled
Planned increases in duties for spirits have been cancelled / Image: Adam Wilson via Unsplash
Elsewhere in the Budget, the Chancellor announced that planned increases in duties for spirits like Scotch whisky, wine, cider and beer will all be cancelled.
The planned increase in fuel duty is also being cancelled.
In an attempt to pay back the money borrowed to fund the government’s COVID economic recovery packages – which has led to the highest rate of UK borrowing since World War II – Sunak said that he would be freezing personal tax thresholds.
Corporation tax will increase to 25% from April 2023.
The Chancellor pledged not to raise the rates of income tax, national insurance, or VAT.
“Nobody’s take home pay will be less than it is now, as a result of this,” Sunak stated.
“It is a tax policy that is progressive and fair.”
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
3rd March 2021 
