Charter for Budget Responsibility and Welfare Cap

The Charter for Budget Responsibility – which set outs how the Government will manage the public finances – was revised by the Chancellor in the Budget last Autumn. 

The revised Charter came before the house on Monday 10 January 2022. The Charter passed: Ayes 309 and Noes 206. This was a wasted opportunity at the start of a new year for the Government to lay out plans to address the spiralling cost of living and invest in our nation’s green future. Labour has plans the Government could have adopted on bringing down energy bills, reversing National Insurance increases due in April, and invest to tackle the climate crisis.

The Welfare Cap is a limit on how much the Government can spend on certain benefits and tax credits. The Autumn 2021 budget set the level of the welfare cap for the coming years. Labour did not vote on this motion. The Cap passed: Ayes 306 and Noes 54.