With the clocks having changed, and the welcome lighter evenings alongside the beginnings of verdant growth, it feels as though we are finally moving out of winter months and into Spring. 

There is a certain sense of renewal that many of us feel at this time of year – particularly those of us who are Christians, noting the story of Easter. Parliament is currently in recess over Easter, providing a welcome opportunity for me to spend more time in the constituency.  

Somewhat less idyllic than the blooming greenery of South Shropshire at this time of year, though no less important, is that we also have the new tax year in April. But this year it comes with significant positive news from the government in terms of tax and benefit changes.

At last month’s Budget, the Chancellor announced a cut in the main rate of employee National Insurance Contributions by 2p, from 10 per cent to 8 per cent, from 6th April. Combined with the 2p cut which came into effect in January, this will save the average worker over £900 a year. It also sets a clear direction of travel for lower personal taxation. 

The main rate of self-employed NICs will also be cut by a further 2p. This means that also from 6th April, the main rate of Class 4 NICs for the self-employed will now be reduced from 9 per cent to 6 per cent. Combined with the abolition of the requirement to pay Class 2, this will save the average self-employed person around £650 a year.

This month also sees the National Living Wage (NLW) increase by 9.8 per cent from £10.42 to £11.44 an hour. This pay boost, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, is the biggest cash increase in the NLW in more than a decade.

Additionally, this month all working-age benefits, including Universal Credit, will be uprated in line with September 2023 Consumer Price Index Inflation – 6.7 per cent. For pensioners, the basic State Pension, new State Pension, and Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee will be uprated in line with average earnings growth of 8.5 per cent.

To support low-income households with increasing rent costs, this month the Government will raise Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This will benefit 1.6 million low-income households, who will be around £800 a year better off on average in 2024-25, and give families greater security and peace of mind. 

The Household Support Fund is being extended for a further six months until September this year, with an additional £500m investment, to provide targeted support for the most vulnerable as inflation continues to fall, including the cost of essentials such as food and utilities. 

In a further welcome easing of the pressure on household budgets, the energy regulator Ofgem announced the typical energy bill will fall to £1,690 from 1st April, which is £238 lower than the price cap set between 1st January to 31st March this year, and is at the lowest level since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago. This should also help us get a further grip on inflation, which takes so much out of household budgets. 

As the end of my time as your MP approaches, I am concerned there has been a creeping sense of pessimism about the fate of our country – which I do not share. I hope the measures outlined above, easing the cost of living, alongside the changing of the seasons, might lead to greater optimism and hope for the future.