Whilst there may not have been many headline grabbing announcements in yesterday’s Autumn Statement, there are still enough points worthy of note for both individuals and businesses to consider.

Whilst the announcements do not predict a recession, there has been a revision in short term growth prospects for the UK economy which have dominated the headlines.  This may cause many businesses to still feel rightly cautious about the outlook for their sector.  However for some sectors the announcements of public spending plans will bring opportunities.

Some other announcements may encourage confidence in attempting new investment as enterprise is trying to be encouraged.  There are incentives for investment in new businesses and attempts to make some areas such as employment law simpler for the small business. 

The summary that follows not only covers some of the key announcements from yesterday, but also provides a reminder of other key developments which are to take place from April 2012. 

Unfortunately draft legislation will not be published until 6 December 2011.  The devil is always in the detail -   and we will need to await that detail.  We will provide an update for you if significant changes are announced on 6 December.

Please click on the following link to view our Autumn Statement 2011 commentary.