Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
The Autumn Budget was announced on Wednesday, as labour announced its first budget in 14 years through Rachel Reeves – in the process announcing tax rises worth £40billion.
A breakdown of the budget includes a rise in employers’ National Insurance Contributions from 13.8% to 15% as well as an increase in the national minimum wage to £12.21 per hour. The VAT on private education and business rates relief will be removed from January and a reduction of Right to Buy discounts meaning purchasing a council house will cost more.
There will also be funding made available for those affected by the infected blood and Post Office horizon scandals, as well as New Get Britain Working white paper to get more people into jobs.
HMRC will also be modernised with new technology and extra staff, while pension credit will rise by 4.1%, carers allowance will increase by its biggest margin yet and an increase of £22.6bllion for the NHS budget.
For the full breakdown, head to the Gov.uk website.
Crazy News
Following the cheese heist in which 22 tonnes of cheddar was stolen from Neal’s Yard Dairy, Jamie Oliver has put a message on his social media pages to look out for “lorryloads of posh cheese” being sold “for cheap”.
It follows on from when fraudsters posing as legitimate wholesalers received the cheddar before it was realised that they were indeed a fake firm.
Some of the cheese variety sold by Neal's Yard Dairy include Hafod Welsh at £12.90 for a 300g piece, while Westcombe costs £7.15 for 250g and Pitchfork is priced at £11 for 250g.
In a post that Oliver published on Instagram, he says: “There has been a great cheese robbery. Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen”.
Happy News
A Kent animal charity has been saved after donation went beyond its target of £250,000 within weeks.
Folly Wildlife Rescue, based in Tunbridge Wells, announced the possibility of its closure following rising costs and a slowdown in the money left to the charity in people’s wills – however following a plea from trustee and volunteer Sue Johnson in September, they have raised almost £304,000.
They have warned that without it, there would be no local place which would help injured wild animals.
The charity is 30 years old after it founded by Dave and Annette Risley in their home in Eridge Green, and treats the likes of birds, badges and hedgehogs and even boasts Johnny Depp as one of its patrons.
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