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Budget 2009

So, that was Alistair Darling's second Budget speech and it wasn't one for the faint-hearted.

The highest UK earners may well be shedding a tear tonight, but at least pensioners might be able to turn on the heating a little more often after the latest raft of tax changes and financial pledges.

But will the latest measures actually do much as the economy faces its worst year since the World War II?

Have your say on our Budget discussion board.

As well as analysis and reports on what Darling's words mean for everyone from investors to savers, we have also assembled a team of industry experts to share their views on iBall TV - so stay tuned in for that, while you can relive the magic on our Twitter commentary.





Final salary pensions take Budget hit
Ruth Emery

Startling new figures show that the Treasury will rake in an enormous £3.1 billion in 2012/13 from its pension tweaking in yesterday's Budget.

Muted reaction to funds and trusts changes
Andrew Pitts

Investment professionals think more could have been done in today's Budget to improve collective investment vehicles.

Mixed feelings for gambling firms
James Moore

Shares in bookmakers soared after fears of a massive tax hike failed to materialise, but bingo companies got the blues after they were told to pay more.

Small businesses given lifeline
Rhian Nicholson

Small businesses have been given more help to ride out the recession, in today's Budget including an extension to the lifeline for loss-making companies.

Mixed Budget for drivers
Nathalie Bonney

The Budget offered a mixed bag for drivers, as Darling introduced a 2p increase in fuel duty and a £2,000 incentive for people to swap their old cars for newer models.

Good Budget for pensioners
Ruth Emery

Alistair Darling's second Budget appears to hold some good news for pensioners struggling during the UK's worst economic period since World War II.

Darling increases ISA allowance
Johanna Gornitzki

The amount of money you can invest in an ISA each year has been increased to £10,200 - but only for the over 50s, with everyone else having to wait until 2010.

Government crackdown on tax evasion
James Moore

Billions of pounds could be repatriated to the UK after the Government relaxed rules on how profits made overseas by multinationals are taxed.

Help for homeowners?
Rebecca Atkinson

Commentators are unimpressed by the three-month stamp duty holiday extension announced in the Budget.

Redundancy pay to increase
Nathalie Bonney

The Government has increased statutory redundancy pay and introduced a range of measures designed to tackle rising unemployment.

Economic growth to return by end of 2009
James Moore

Chancellor Alistair Darling has claimed that Britain's economy will return to growth by the end of the year - but economists immediately poured cold water on his forecasts.

High earners hit by tax rise
Rhian Nicholson

High earners on more than £150,000 a year were today dealt a further blow with the top rate of income tax due to rise to 50% from April.

Live: Budget 2009
Interactive Investor News Team

All the news from the 2009 Budget live as it happens...


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Bookies bet on red Darling
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Alistair Darling is set to have punters seeing red in more ways than one, if the bookies are to be believed, writes James Moore.

Budget 2009: Media expectations
Rhian Nicholson

As the tension mounts ahead of Wednesday's Budget, the media has already begun to unveil what it expects to see.

Budget 2009: What the experts want
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With the Budget just around the corner, here's what the experts would like to see from Alistair Darling this year.


iBall TV

The City without the suit
Well, it may not have been the history's most exciting budget. We were expecting that, so we added a little excitement.
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