In the second of his fortnightly columns Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, considers the implications of the autumn Budget

The Budget wasn’t what we were banking on... Woking needs more!

While it was an improvement on what we saw from the Conservatives, overall it left a lot to be desired.

It could have, and should have been much better for Woking, and for people across the country. On Tuesday 5 November I spoke in the House of Commons to deliver my response.

Let's talk about health

I was pleased to see investment in the NHS and relieved to hear in the days following that the Government was looking at ways to compensate those in the health and the social care sector for increasing the Employers’ National Insurance Contributions. However, this does not go far enough.

The rise in Employers’ National Insurance could have a devastating effect on the ability of GPs and health partners and small care providers to provide top quality services to residents in Woking and beyond.

Clobbering these already struggling and vitally important healthcare providers with higher taxes will leave them no choice but to cut staff and services.

Ultimately, this means patients in Woking and around the country will pay the price. It would be simply unacceptable if we were to lose healthcare services because of a Budget that was allegedly going to invest in the NHS.

The Chancellor needs to urgently rethink these proposals and exempt social care providers, GPs and health partners from this misguided tax hike. This is something that I will continue to fight for in the coming weeks.

The elephant in the room is social care

As we are only too aware in Woking, local authorities across the country are struggling financially. Although Woking council’s financial woes are self-inflicted following the appalling investment decisions of the former Conservative council, many other local authorities are struggling to deliver the services that people want and need.

It is reported that almost 50 per cent of all councils could go under if further support is not given. It’s real investment in social care that can help relieve the immense financial pressure on local authorities and enable them to invest in more of the services we want locally.

Prevention is better than cure

The Health Minister has already accepted that the lack of social care provision costs the NHS £1.7 billion a year. It is a much more efficient use of our money to invest in social care and prevention than to spend far higher sums once patients reach the point where they need primary or hospital care.

Six in ten of the UK’s care home beds are operated by companies that could go bankrupt if they experience even a "mild economic shock". This must be avoided because the NHS cannot afford to pick up the slack if they go under.

After years of underfunding by the former Conservative government, the Chancellor has a real opportunity to avoid making the mistakes of her predecessors and properly invest in health and care services.

I hope the Government will agree to a cross-party social care agreement that will take the strain off our NHS and save our services from breaking point.

It’s time for growth

For too long, the burden of fixing the mess caused by Conservatives’ disastrous mini-budget has fallen on struggling households, many of whom are still paying sky-high mortgage rates.

The Bank of England recently announced the second interest rate cut this year, bringing rates down to 4.75 per cent. This brings down the cost of borrowing, for individuals on their mortgages and personal debts, and for businesses who want to invest to grow.

As these cuts continue, I hope the Government seizes the opportunity they present to deliver growth in the economy, especially through small businesses and high streets.

However, despite the rhetoric on being a Government of service who wants to promote growth, I’m concerned they will squander this opportunity due to the negative impact of Employer National Insurance rises on small businesses.

Having recently met with local small business leaders, it’s clear they mirror my concerns. The Government must back their rhetoric with actions, rethink this policy and instead take the decisions that enable our local and national economy to grow.

For this, it is essential that they do not undermine small businesses in Woking and beyond.

Mobility is opportunity

The raising of the bus fare cap in England from £2 to £3 will effectively cost a commuter an extra £500 a year just to get to work and back. For many, this is an added expense they can’t afford, reducing social mobility and therefore economic opportunity.

Bus routes are the backbone of economic opportunity in communities like Woking and across the country and raising the cap restricts the prospects for growth in the future.

Get in touch

As I have said before, I am an MP for all residents in the Woking constituency and this is something I’m firmly committed to. Whether you voted for me or not, if there’s an issue you’d like to raise, please feel free to get in touch at [email protected].

If you want to stay up to date with my work then please follow me on social media. You can find me on Instagram @forster_will, on Facebook @WillforWoking, on X (formerly Twitter) @WillForster and on BlueSky @willforster.bsky.social. If you live in Kingfield, you can also find me on Nextdoor.

I’m here to help, and together we can make a real difference for Woking.