Delivering her first Autumn Budget, Reeves announced more money for the Government’s plan to introduce free breakfast clubs in all schools, as well as increased funding to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
She said the Department for Education will receive an extra £6.7bn. Of this money, £1.4bn will be used to rebuild over 500 schools in the 'greatest need', over £2bn will go on schools maintenance.
A total of £30 million has been allocated to set-up breakfast clubs in schools, and additional £1.8 billion to continue the expansion of government funded childcare, confirms the Treasury Budget document.
An additional £300 million has been allocated to further education, including £40m investment to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a Growth and Skills Levy to deliver on the Government's commitment to launch shorter and foundation apprenticeships in 'key' sectors.
Other key measures announced by the Chancellor include:
- An increase in employer’s National Insurance (NI) contributions by 1.2 percentage points to 15 per cent from April next year. Also, reducing the threshold at which NI gets paid, from £9,100 to £5,000 and be extended to all eligible employers by removing the £100,000 cap, allowing firms to employ up to four National Living Wage workers full time without paying employer National Insurance on their wages.
- Increasing the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500 to help small businesses.
- Freezing duel duty next year.
- Extending the Household Support Fund.
- Reducing the level of debt taken from claimants’ universal credit allowance.
She also confirmed a rise in the national minimum wage and VAT on private school fees, measures which have already announced, and revealed plans to give retail, hospitality and leisure businesses 40 per cent relief on business rates.
Education Committee chair Helen Hayes MP commented, 'The uplift in funding to support children with special educational needs and disabilities is welcome, given the crisis impacting on children, families and local authorities across the country. But more work will be needed to address this deep-seated issue. My cross-party colleagues stand ready to investigate how the Department for Education can make the most of this new support.'
The Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza said that a 'bold plan' for reforming SEND and healthcare systems focused on children's needs to go 'hand in hand' with the increased funding.
The Early Years Alliance expressed its 'frustration and disappointment' that the Budget made no mention of the early years sector.
Chief executive Neil Leitch said, 'Given the Government's previous emphasis on the importance of the early years, it is both frustrating and disappointing that today's Budget made no mention whatsoever of our sector, despite announcements of additional funding for schools and further education. Looking to the future, the Government must make clear its long-term plan for the sector and how it will ensure that funding consistently reflects the cost of delivering high-quality care and early education. We look forward to working with ministers to make this both a priority and a reality.'
