Autumn Budget 2026: Background briefing (Commons Library)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey will deliver his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October.

The Commons Library's latest impartial briefing explains the UK's current economic situation, alongside an overview of the UK's public finances, the government's fiscal rules, issues relating to public spending and tax and more.

You might also find our other research helpful for background to your reporting. If you use any of our research please cite the House of Commons Library or the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.

• What is the Budget?  Quick explainer answering FAQS about what happens during and after a Budget
• The UK economy: a dashboard  Using the latest data, see how the UK economy has performed over the past 70 years with our interactive dashboard
• Economic Indicators  Quick read summaries of the latest data, focusing on different aspects of the UK economy.
• Parliamentary scrutiny of government spending plans  POST's research looks at how the UK Parliament and other Westminster-style parliaments scrutinise government spending plans.

The Commons Library will also be publishing our impartial summary and analysis briefing after next week's Budget. 

You can find everything you need online in our handy Autumn Budget 2026 collection page.