Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget has been met with mixed responses, with many praising additional investment in the NHS and SEND, but criticising the retention of the two-child limit for those in receipt of benefits.
Here are some statements regarding the budget:
RCPCH
Professor Steve Turner, RCPCH President has said the budget shows ‘the government is serious about raising the bar when it comes to the prevention of ill health in children’. However, he has called the retention of the two-child limit ‘disappointing’.
‘The College welcomes the announcement that the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will be extended,’ said Professor Turner, ‘and further funding for breakfast clubs, which will support a generation of children to lead healthy, happy, and productive lives through to adulthood.
‘What is less clear is how the government plans to address the significant and specific pressure that child health services are under […] Announcements from the Chancellor on the NHS are positive, but it remains to be seen how children and child health services are considered as part of these.’
Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Lynn Perry has also come out against the retention of the two-child limit:
‘Every day that the two-child limit on benefits is in place, is another day that almost half a million children live in avoidable poverty. While we welcome Ministers’ strong commitment to tackling child poverty in the longer-term, it is disappointing that the government has not taken this opportunity to bring this injustice to an end.’
Despite this, Perry has welcomed the extension of the Household Support Fund and the government’s focus on tackling poverty, but says that ‘without bold action to help families struggling right now, then good intentions won’t be enough’.
YoungMinds
Speaking about young people’s mental health, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, Laura Bunt said the autumn budget is ‘only the start’.
‘Growing up today is incredibly tough,’ said Bunt. ‘The Government must deliver on its promise of open access mental health hubs in every community―we welcome the funding announced today for trailblazer Young Futures hubs, but we have some concerns about their framing as a crime prevention initiative.’
The King’s Fund
Siva Anandaciva, Chief Analyst at The King’s Fund has said the health spending announcements are ‘unlikely to be enough for patients to see a real improvement’.
‘The existing backlog of NHS maintenance issues with buildings and equipment is a staggering £13.8 billion,’ said Anandaciva. ‘The extra funding […] will only be a modest down payment on what is needed to tackle unsafe and outdated NHS facilities.
‘On the whole, this budget has been a starting point for the investment and reform that is needed to begin to stabilise the trajectory of NHS performance, but it is not enough for the system to deliver the wholesale shift needed for a health and care system fit for the future. To achieve that, more funding will be needed in next year’s Comprehensive Spending review.’
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