Commenting on yesterday’s Autumn Budget announcement, Antonia Jennings, CEO of Centre for London, said:

“A slight shift away from the doom and gloom rhetoric we’ve seen from the Labour government thus far, this Budget certainly provided room for optimism by committing to investing now for future rewards. Yet, we’re left asking – where was London?”

“Undoubtedly, some of the measures introduced will have positive impacts on the capital. The extension of the household support fund will continue to be a lifeline to Londoners affected by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The series of offers to small businesses will provide welcome relief to many business owners in the capital – home to almost 1 million small businesses.”

“Yet, with 323,000 Londoners on the waiting list for social housing, it’s disappointing to hear that the Affordable Housing Programme will be boosted by only an additional £500 million – estimated to deliver only 5000 new homes nationwide. Relatedly, it was disheartening to see no action from the Government to increase Local Housing Allowance (LHA), when in London just 5% of private rental listing are affordable to low-income households using LHA. Without investment in housing, we will continue to see the need for social housing climb.”

“Amid a series of transport infrastructure announcements across the country, new headline projects for London were announced. Indeed, the much-awaited news on HS2 fell short, providing little insight into when we’ll see trains on the track or how much the scheme will cost. Meanwhile, the government remained silent on the Bakerloo line extension, a pipeline project which has remained unfunded for decades.”

“Most notably, London was absent from the promises of updated devolution settlements. The Chancellor outlined her provision of an integrated devolution settlement to Manchester and the West Midlands – with no such commitment provided for the capital. Being the first devolution deal in England, London’s devolution settlement is arguably the most outdated. It remains disappointing to see the capital bumped down in the list of government priorities, despite the city’s need for support.”

“London is home high to levels of deprivation, with on average 1 child in every classroom living in temporary accommodation, and the longest social housing waiting lists in the country. And yet, London is fundamental to growth – contributing £1 to every £4 sent to the treasury. Boosting regions across England should not and cannot mean ignoring the capital.”