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John Healey delivered his first Budget as Chancellor this week. It was a deliberately small package, funded by increases in the tax paid by banks, savers, landlords, and gambling companies. These tax increases are projected to raise almost £6 billion by 2030, which is a fraction of the £66 billion raised across Rachel Reeves’ two Budgets.
The banking tax on profits doubles from 3% to 6%, but only for 15 months from January. This is expected to bring in over £300 million this financial year and nearly £1 billion the next. Tax on property and savings income goes up by two percentage points from April, adding to a rise of 2 percentage points that was already scheduled, and this rise will be worth about £1 billion annually.
Analysis
The Budget’s main purpose was reassurance. With government borrowing costs elevated and the recovery from this still early, Healey chose to avoid any move that might be too unsettling. The UK’s economic backdrop explains the caution. Growth is forecast at 1.2% this year but slows to 1% next year, while inflation projections have risen sharply to 3.1% and 3.4% for 2026 and 2027.
The bank surcharge shows how the government managed the pushback from large banking players. The increase was smaller and shorter than the sector expected, and bank shares went up as a result, with Lloyds up 4.2%.
What does this mean for the UK?
A temporary banking surcharge is a signal to banks that the government will tax them when it needs revenue, so firms will have to factor future rises into their planning, even if this one is mild
A thin fiscal buffer (amount government can spend without breaking its own fiscal rules) means any further shock could prompt tax rises in future Budgets, so businesses and investors should treat today’s measures as unlikely to be the last word
Trimmed capital allowance rate for companies (amount that can be deducted from tax due to machinery purchases) means the way asset-heavy businesses gets valued may change
How to use in applications
Tax teams would advise businesses and wealthy individuals on the practical effect of each measure. For companies, this means modelling the lower writing-down allowance on their capital spending and reviewing how it changes their effective tax rate. For landlords and savers, it means assessing the higher rates on property and savings income from April.
Banking and finance regulatory teams would advise lenders on how the higher surcharge flows through to profitability, reporting and capital planning, and on how the 15-month limit affects the way it is accounted for.
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Access over 27 law firm profiles, complete with breakdowns, seats, secondments, and other requirements.
A 9-step law firm research checklist that shows you what to look for, where to find it, and how to use it.
This breaks down recent transactions and explains how to move beyond simply mentioning a deal, towards demonstrating real commercial understanding and relevance.
How to structure your answers, apply the rule of three and build a compelling narrative for your applications.
15 real application answers samples from major firms along with an explanation of what worked and why
What to do if your efforts still aren’t converting, despite trying everything.
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Psychometric Tests
Timed questions across all five sections of the test, with an explanation for every answer. Practise as many times as you need until you're ready.
A clear breakdown of the key skills tested in critical thinking tests, along with where to practice, mistakes and red flags to watch out for.
Interviews
Guidance on how to develop your commercial awareness and a worked example showing what a strong answers looks like.
Over 80+ interview questions asked by leading law firms.
Covering common formats, how firms assess answers, and how to communicate clearly and confidently on camera.
Work Experience
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45+ opportunities across law firms, chambers, early-careers programmes and paralegal roles.
Studying
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Covers how to open with impact, write clearly and finish with a focused conclusion.
A simplified guide to OSCOLA referencing, covering how to cite cases, legislation, books, journal articles, and more.
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