On Tuesday Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her spring statement to parliament, where she'll update MPs on the economy.

In the 131-page Economic and fiscal outlook March 2026, published alongside the non-statement, figures show how stark the tax take is in Britain. The tax-to-GDP ratio is forecast to increase to a post-war high of 38 per cent of GDP in 2030-31.

Four of the priorities Hampshire Chamber of Commerce has said need to be considered by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves in her Spring statement. The speech later today is where the Chancellor updates us on the state of the economy. Businesses in Hampshire have been telling us how they're feeling.

The Spring Statement is not a big event like the Budget - but it can influence future tax and spending decisions

Economists don't expect any major policy announcements as the government prioritizes its "Autumn Budget" as the main fiscal event of the year.

The conflict in Iran cast a shadow over the Chancellor's speech, which forecast falling inflation and better economic growth

Britain’s economy could face a “very significant” hit from the war in Iran, the UK’s official forecaster warned on Tuesday, as the conflict threatened to derail chancellor

Rachel Reeves will announce the government’s 2026 Spring Statement today, with Labour needing to restore confidence in the British economy. While the chancellor has not been drawn on what could be in speech, it is thought that no major announcements will be made.

Average disposable income - which measures the amount of money people have left to spend after they have paid tax – will give us an indication of households' spending power in the coming years. In short, it suggests how much better our living standards are going to get, stripping out the impact of rising prices.