Chancellor missed opportunity to get Britain fit for Brexit and failed to make workers better-off, says TUC

Responding to today’s (Wednesday) Budget Statement, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: 

“Today the Chancellor missed the opportunity to get Britain match-fit for Brexit by investing in jobs and infrastructure.

“The government promised an economy that works for everyone. But millions of low-income workers face cuts to in-work support, while big business is handed a huge tax cut.

“Workers will be no better off at the end of the Parliament than they were set to be at the time of the last Autumn Statement.

 “The acid test for the Chancellor's self-employment tax changes is whether they crack down on employers who force low-paid workers into bogus self-employment.

“Today's extra funding for social care is desperately needed. But at a time when waiting times are soaring, it’s astonishing that the government has left a huge hole in NHS funding.

“And there's still no real pay rise for Britain’s dedicated nurses, teachers and public service workers.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
- The Office for Budget Responsibility’s fiscal and economic outlook report published alongside today’s budget shows that average earnings will be no higher in 2020 than they were forecast to be in the 2016 Autumn Statement.
- All TUC press releases can be found at tuc.org.uk/media
- TUC Press Office on Twitter: @tucnews