Autumn Budget 2026 Confirmed for 28 October: How Small Businesses Can Start Preparing Now
The government has now confirmed that the Autumn Budget will be delivered on Wednesday 28 October 2026. For business owners across Bury and Greater Manchester, that gives a firm date to plan around — and, as always with a Budget, a period of speculation to sit through before we know exactly what's changing.
At Jackson Lee Accountants we get asked the same question every year in the run-up to a Budget: "should I do anything differently right now?" The honest answer is usually no — but there's a shorter list of sensible, low-effort things worth doing while you wait, rather than either ignoring the date entirely or making decisions based on rumour.
What We Actually Know
A small number of tax changes are already legislated and will take effect regardless of what's announced on the day, so these aren't predictions — they're already locked in:
The Making Tax Digital for Income Tax qualifying threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027, pulling more sole traders and landlords into quarterly digital reporting.
The personal allowance and basic rate band remain frozen through to April 2031, so more income continues to be dragged into higher tax bands as pay rises.
The dividend tax basic rate rose to 10.75% from April 2026, which is already affecting how much company owners take home from dividends this year.
What's Still Speculation
Beyond that, most of what you'll read in the papers between now and 28 October is informed guesswork. Commentators are flagging possible changes to business rates, capital allowances, R&D reliefs, and employer costs, but nothing specific has been confirmed. Major changes to the headline rate of corporation tax look less likely than some of the more targeted reforms under discussion.
Our advice is the same every year: don't restructure your business, delay investment, or change your dividend strategy based on speculation. Wait for the actual announcement, then act on it with proper advice.
Five Practical Things to Do Before 28 October
Review your investment plans for the next 12 months. If you're weighing up equipment, vehicles, or premises spending, know what you're planning to do so you can react quickly if capital allowances change.
Update your cash flow forecast. Run it under a couple of different scenarios — including one where costs rise a little — so you're not caught out either way.
Check your staffing costs and any recruitment plans. Employer National Insurance and the minimum wage have moved more than once in recent years; know your current cost base so any change is easy to model.
Make sure your bookkeeping and tax position are up to date now, rather than in a rush after the Budget. This matters more than ever with MTD for Income Tax reporting deadlines approaching for landlords and sole traders over the coming thresholds.
Hold off on big financial decisions until the detail is out, then speak to us before acting on it. A five-minute conversation after the announcement is worth far more than a decision made on a headline beforehand.
How We Can Help
We'll be reviewing the Budget announcements as soon as they're published on 28 October and will follow up with anything that's directly relevant to our clients — landlords, contractors, online sellers, and owner-managed businesses across Bury and the wider Greater Manchester area. If you'd like a quick review of where you stand before then, particularly on cash flow or your MTD readiness, get in touch and we'll take a look together.
There's no need to make any changes today. But a bit of preparation now means you'll be ready to act — calmly and with the right numbers in front of you — the moment the detail is confirmed.
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