Session overview

One of the biggest events in the economic and political calendar, John Healey’s first Budget as Chancellor, will take place on Wednesday 28 October.

Join us a few days later, on Monday 2 November, when David Smith, Economics Editor of The Sunday Times, will provide a comprehensive review of the Budget and what it means for housing providers, businesses and the wider economy.

Will the new Chancellor find room for Andy Burnham’s priorities, including greater government investment spending, while remaining within the fiscal rules? Can he do so without placing too great a burden on the country through additional taxes? And will the Budget include the much-discussed shake-up of property taxes?

David will examine the key announcements, assess the economic and political implications and explore what the Budget could mean for organisations across the housing sector.

Key takeaways

During the session, we will explore:

• The main tax, spending and investment announcements from the 2026 Budget
• Whether the Chancellor has created room for increased government investment while remaining within the fiscal rules
• What any changes to property taxes could mean for housing providers and the wider property market
• The likely impact of the Budget on economic growth, inflation, borrowing and public spending

About the speaker

David Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times

David Smith has been Economics Editor of The Sunday Times since 1989, where he writes a weekly column and also serves as a leader writer, assistant editor and policy adviser. Since 2016, he has also written a weekly economics column for The Times.

He is the author of several books on the UK and global economy, including The Rise and Fall of Monetarism, From Boom to Bust, The Dragon & the Elephant: China, India and the New World Order, The Age of Instability: The Global Financial Crisis and What Comes Next and Something Will Turn Up: Britain’s Economy Past, Present and Future.

David is a visiting professor at Cardiff University and the University of Nottingham. He has received several awards for his work, including Harold Wincott Senior Financial Journalist of the Year, Economics Commentator of the Year and Business Journalist of the Year at the London Press Awards.

Who should attend?

This session will be particularly relevant for:

• Chief executives and executive directors
• Finance directors and finance teams
• Board members and governance professionals
• Strategy, policy and risk teams
• Development, property and investment leaders
• Anyone interested in the economic and political outlook and its impact on housing