The tax changes that could come in October’s Budget

As speculation rises over the Chancellor’s plans, experts believe the upcoming Budget could see another “smorgasbord” of small tax changes.

The fiscal rules mean additional borrowing is very unlikely, while there is little headroom for more spending.

Will taxes rise and by how much?

Economist Julian Jessop said: “It is highly likely that further tax increases will be announced in the Budget.” Leading economic forecaster Capital Economics suggests tax rises up to £25bn are possible.

Although there are hundreds of possible tax rises, here are some of the key ones that could affect you.

An increase to CGT rates

• Capital gains tax is levied on gains made when an asset is sold.
• Rates are generally lower than income tax rates at 18 to 24 per cent.
• Basic income tax is 20 per cent, rising to 40 per cent and 45 per cent for higher brackets. 
• Nimesh Shah, CEO of tax firm Blick Rothenberg, said: “Even if full alignment is considered a step too far, the Government may narrow the gap.”

Pension tax changes

There has been speculation that the Government could end up cutting the size of the tax-free lump sum people can take from their pensions, which is either 25 per cent of the amount or £268,275 – whichever is lower.

Shah believes this is a “sacred cow” among middle England and won’t be touched, but that pension tax relief could be.

Jessop believes the Budget could target business sectors that Labour believes engage in “antisocial” activities.

To a degree, Andy Burnham has done this already, announcing a 20 per cent business rates cut for pubs, clubs, and small live music venues funded by reducing reliefs for stores perceived as causing social harm.

• Capital Economics believes “sin taxes” on the likes of unhealthy food could raise £1bn and be a possibility.

• Though this could fall within the scope of large tax overhauls, Burnham is being urged heavily to consider changes.
• Compass, a cross-party campaign group headed by Neal Lawson, is fronting a new report which includes calls for wealth tax reform.
• The report proposes a 2 per cent levy on net wealth above £10m, which it says would raise £24bn a year from around 22,000 people – just 0.03 per cent of the population.

What should you do now?

Experts warn that people should not act on Budget speculation now. “I think it’s important that people avoid making major financial decisions based purely on speculation about tax changes that may never materialise,” says Jason Hollands, managing director at Evelyn Partners.

The airport that has overtaken Heathrow as Europe’s busiest

Heathrow airport said “the case for expansion has never been clearer” after it lost its position as Europe’s busiest airport.

Heathrow has lost its claim to the busiest airport in Europe to Istanbul. Heathrow’s two runways are operating at capacity, but passenger numbers are thought to be down due to the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The airport used the drop in numbers as a new argument in its long-standing campaign for a third runway. Reacting to the news, it said “the case for expansion has never been clearer”.

8.15 million

Heathrow saw just 7.86 million customers pass through it in July, compared to 8.15 million in Istanbul.

The London airport recorded 84.46 million total passengers in 2025.

1.5% dive

Heathrow’s July passenger total represented a 1.5 per cent decrease compared with the same month last year, whereas Istanbul saw a 2.3 per cent boost.

On Middle East routes alone, Heathrow passenger numbers were down 20 per cent compared to last year.

The new ‘treatment for life’ weight-loss pill approved for UK

The GLP-1 medication will be available to buy privately with a prescription after approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

• 
  Foundayo is a daily weight-loss pill from Eli Lilly, the makers of Mounjaro.
• 
  The UK has become the first European country to approve its use.
• 
  It is another GLP-1 medication which reduces appetite. It treats type 2 diabetes and obesity.
• 
  It can help people lose an average of 12 per cent of their body weight.
• 
  We do not yet know if the pills will be available on the NHS. It will be available on prescription for private patients.

A trial in May found orforglipron, the scientific name for the drug, could be used to help patients maintain weight loss after coming off GLP-1 jabs.

Dr Louis Aronne, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, hailed it as a “treatment for life”.

Are you having as much sex as everyone else?

It’s natural for libido to wax and wane due to life events, dating status or hormonal changes.

And it can be hard to say what a “normal” sexual frequency is. But research and case studies give us a rough idea.

When it happens

61%

 A 2023 survey concluded that almost two thirds (61 per cent) of us wait until night-time to have sex.

Only 14 per cent opt to get busy in the early evening, and 10 per cent in the morning.

 Research from 2019 suggests that the average number of times British live-in or married couples have sex per month is three. 

Are Gen Z having less sex than older people?

I see my partner on the weekends and have sex with others in the week.

Leanne, a 27-year-old influencer from Bristol has sex three or four times a week, but only sees her long-distance partner on the weekends. They have agreed they can both sleep with other people during the week.

35-year-old Rebecca usually sleeps with her partner once or twice per week due to not having much child-free time.

Clare, 32, says her job is busy and she has to schedule sex with her partner on weekends, or some afternoons twice a month. “Occasionally this slips and I do worry that it makes us not as connected,” she says.

I haven’t had the issue of my sex life drying up with menopause. I’m more aroused now.

I’ve been married for 15 years. I love my husband, but our sex life is non-existent, and has been for about five years.

I’m not really motivated to seek out partners; I vaguely like the idea of it but not enough to take any action.

I’ve been married for 20 years and sex has become something of a rarity. We maybe have sex once a week on a Sunday morning as we’re both relaxed and I can take Viagra late on Saturday night – without it, I can’t perform.

JACK, 63, OFFICE WORKER, KENT

The seven rules that could save your marriage

Keep your sense of self

I did what I thought I was supposed to do and forgot my needs and wants. I think it’s really important that you’re an individual and not just a person who is married.

KATIE STRATFORD*, A 55-YEAR-OLD MUM OF TWO, WHO DIVORCED ATER 19 YEARS

The small things

Small things, like being brought a cup of tea or saying thank you, make a big difference.

Karen Deulofeu, who ended her six-year marriage, believes all couples should seek support, even before they think they need it.

Listen properly by repeating what you have heard and ask if you’ve got that right.

Don’t lose communication

People don’t talk about the deep issues; nobody else is going to do it for you. You don’t want to ask questions because it might rock the boat…you have to keep talking, and talk about what it is that you want within the relationship to keep going forward.

KATIE STRATFORD

Remember that things change

“What you see on social media and what friends say is quite often the nice version. Everything is a phase,” says Deulofeu.

Look at yourself first

“Focus on what’s in your control and what you can do differently, rather than the other person or a situation that you can’t control. Invest in understanding yourself,” she adds.

There are things that all mid-life men should know about keeping their hearts healthy.

From eating more purple fruit to avoiding large bowls of pasta, consultant cardiologist Dr Zoe Astroulakis [below] shares her simple lifestyle habits she wishes her patients would take on board.

Swap ‘bad’ fats for healthy ones

You don’t need to eat a fat-free diet; the key is to reduce your saturated fat. Reduce your dairy and swap your red meat for lean meat such as chicken and oily fish.

Control your portions

You don’t need more carbohydrates in a meal than you can fit in your hand. Enormous plates of pasta can cause blood sugar spikes, which can lead to health problems.

Look for purple

Blueberries, black grapes and aubergines are great for boosting “good” cholesterol.

Have oats

Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfast options because it’s full of soluble fibre.

Stop taking cocaine

It can provoke a massive heart attack, even in younger people who don’t have existing artery problems.

Stay below the alcohol limit

• The NHS guidelines of 14 units per week is still more than 1,000 additional calories.
• The safest level to aim for is zero.
• If you’re drinking, make sure you have some alcohol-free days each week and space it out.

Do cardio too

Don’t only focus on lifting weights. It might make you look toned, but it says nothing about the health of your heart. 

Check your levels

You can get free blood pressure checks in many pharmacies or you can buy a monitor for around £30 to use at home.

Avoid night shifts

It disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm and can lead to increased cholesterol.

A beer belly is a sign you need to make urgent changes

It’s usually a sign you’re drinking too much. By the time your belly starts to bulge, it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess calories and storing too much fat internally.

Want a new career but worried it’s too late?

Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].

Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.

Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings. 

7.4%

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.

3.5%

And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase. 

The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.

So what job options are there?

As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.

You can start out earning around £20 to £35 an hour, but it can scale into agency work, launch support or even project management. Some earn very well.

What it involves

You will source, screen and interview candidates to match them with the right job roles.

Who it’s for

You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people. 

The pay

The salary van vary from £25 to £50k, but you can earn around £100k depending on commission.

Estate agent

It offers flexible hours and weekend staff can earn £15 per hour. 

This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.

In the lower end, a sales rep can make £30k and on the higher end £50-60k, plus commission.

Why coaching is a good option

Coaching is incredibly varied and can be anything from career coaching, to confidence and leadership coaching. 

• As it is an unregulated industry, you don’t need qualifications but the more reputable option is the International Coaching Federation.
• It’s a great career option for older people because clients genuinely value your wealth of life experience.
• It’s flexible, scalable, and you can start doing it part-time alongside another role.
• It could make you anything from £200 an hour, all the way up to £500 p/h+.

This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.

Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.

Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…

A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice

More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.

Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.

These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.

Toast and jam

Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.

Vegetable soup

On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.

Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.

Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.

Snack bars

They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.

Low-fat yoghurt

A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.

On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.

Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.

• Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
• Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
• Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
• Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.