The key budget announcements from the chancellor

The chancellor has announced the budget for 2023.

The UK will now not enter a technical recession this year, the independent forecasters, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said.

Inflation will more than halve and reduce to 2.9% by the end of the year, the OBR expects.

Here are the key points:

• As expected, the government is extending the energy price guarantee (EPG) which keeps the average household bill at £2,500 until the end of June by capping the unit price of electricity. The typical bill was due to rise to £3,000 from 1 April. Under the EPG the government effectively caps household costs and reimburses energy companies for the difference between that, and the cost of buying power on wholesale markets.

• The energy rebate scheme – paid direct to customers in six instalments of £66 and £67 a month – has not been extended and will end this month.

• The so-called “prepayment premium”, whereby those using prepayment meters are charged more for their gas and electricity, will be scrapped from July, enabling four million families to save £45 a year on their bills.

• Tax relief of 11p has been announced on draft drinks served in pubs from 1 August – so a pint will be cheaper than in supermarkets.

• An extension of the 5p cut in fuel duty, at a cost of £6bn, has been announced for a year. Fuel duty will also be frozen for the next twelve months.

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