Budgets & fiscal events· Public spending· Economy and public finances Nationally Insured? New taxes and new spending to address key Department for Health and Social Care priorities 8 September 2021 Torsten Bell Mike Brewer Nye Cominetti Lindsay Judge Krishan Shah Daniel Tomlinson Lalitha Try This note assesses the announcements made by the Government on the suspension of the Triple Lock, National Insurance rises, health and social care funding, and public spending totals for the rest of this Parliament, on 7 September 2021. Together, these show that the Prime Minister has abandoned low tax Conservatism to fund a big rise in NHS spending and to protect those with assets from some of the costs of social care. Whether that approach survives the deep uncertainty about what comes next in terms of the pandemic or economic recovery, or more traditional pressure for pre-election tax cuts, remains to be seen.
