Autumn Budget 2025: What it Really Means for Small Businesses

When a Budget drops, this pack shows what to do next — from re-costing wages to reviewing benefits — so you can protect margins and your team.

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What you get (free)

• 10-page Budget summary

• Decision checklists for wages, apprenticeships, benefits, rates, energy/vehicles. 

• Action list: “What I’d do now if I ran your business.” 

• A4 print-ready, easy to drop into Teams/Slack.

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Who it’s for

• UK small businesses and solo HR

• Owners and line managers who want clear, fair steps (and no waffle)

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About Kate

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I’m Kate Underwood, host of Buzzing About HR. I help UK employers turn policy headlines into practical steps — minus the legalese and the lost afternoons.

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Light legal note (UK-only)

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Information, not legal or tax advice. Built from the Autumn Budget 2025 content and focused on UK small employers. 

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FAQs

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Does it include the new National Living Wage figure?

Yes — the briefing highlights £12.71 from April 2026 and shows how to sanity-check your wage budget. 

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Will it help if I’m not on the high street?

Yes. It explains which business rates changes favour retail/hospitality/leisure and what to check if you’re in units/warehouses/offices. 

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What about apprenticeships?

There’s a quick plan for using fully funded under-25 apprenticeships in SMEs — done properly, not as “extra hands”. 

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Does it cover salary sacrifice changes?

Yes — it flags the NI cap on the first £2,000 sacrificed per person per year from April 2029 and what to consider for senior packages. 

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Is it really free?

Yep — pop in your email and I’ll send the pack.

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Can I print it?

Yes — A4-friendly (and crisp if you scale up).