Race on the Agenda believes that the Autumn budget does introduce some positive changes that will support Black and Global Majority communities in Britain.
Measures like scrapping the two-child benefit cap will make a difference to all families that have been struggling with rising child poverty. We know that child poverty has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Global Majority communities. In 2021/22, 47% of children in Asian or Asian British households and 53% of those in Black households were in poverty after housing costs, compared with just 25% of those where the head of household was White. These changes are welcome.
However, despite some positive measures, many elements of this budget continue to disadvantage people living in Britain – particularly Black and Global Majority communities. For example, freezing tax thresholds is a significant concern. When thresholds don’t rise with inflation, people end up paying more tax on pay increases. For Black and Global Majority workers, who are more likely to be in lower-paid and insecure jobs, even small pay rises can push them into higher tax brackets, leaving less take-home pay for essentials like groceries, childcare, energy, and housing.
While there are taxes on online gambling, there are no changes to machine gaming duty, charged on income from high-street slot machines, which have a high presence in deprived communities and are linked to high rates of addiction. There have been some changes to council tax for higher value properties but no wholesale reform of the outdated and unfair system.
In many ways, this budget places the burden on workers especially those already navigating structural inequalities rather than tackling the root causes of economic hardship.
While there are some wins, many of the measures are not real wins for Black and Global Majority communities. Stronger reforms are essential to ensure vulnerable communities receive the support they need and to build a fairer and more equitable society.
ROTA will continue to monitor the impact and provide updates, ensuring that Black and Global Majority voices are heard and that racial justice remains central to the economic agenda.