healey confirms october budget date
September 2026

Chancellor John Healey will deliver his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026, just over three months after taking charge of the Treasury.

Healey confirmed the date in a video posted on Instagram, saying the Government was moving quickly to “restore hope and bring Britain’s communities back”. He succeeded Rachel Reeves as Chancellor on 20 July, following Andy Burnham’s appointment as Prime Minister.

The announcement gives Healey 89 days to prepare his first major fiscal statement. The relatively short run-up may help limit the prolonged speculation surrounding the 2025 Budget and the uncertainty it created for businesses and households.

Healey said the Budget would shift money and decision-making away from Westminster and into communities across the country. Devolution is expected to be a central theme as the new Government sets out its economic priorities.

However, the Chancellor also emphasised that the plans would be underpinned by fiscal discipline. He confirmed that the Government would continue to meet its existing fiscal rules, despite pressure on the public finances and calls for additional spending.

Healey said the Budget would aim to provide businesses and families with the stability needed to plan for the future. The statement is therefore expected to balance the Government’s regional investment ambitions with a commitment to responsible borrowing and spending.

The Budget will be Healey’s first test as Chancellor and an early indication of how Burnham’s Government intends to combine greater regional control with economic credibility.

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