Treasury announces date of next Budget

The next Budget, setting out the government's tax and spending plans, will be held on 15 March 2023, the Treasury has announced.

In a statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the Budget would also be accompanied by a forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Mr Hunt last set out his economic plans in November, when he announced tax rises and a spending squeeze.

He argued he was taking difficult decisions in order to tame inflation.

But Labour said the measures were a result of "the economic carnage" created by previous Prime Minister Liz Truss.

The government's forecasters, the Office for Budget Responsibility, has said the UK is facing the biggest drop in living standards since record began as a result of rising prices.

They said inflation was expected to be 9.1% in 2022, dropping to 7.4% next year.

Mr Hunt used his Autumn Statement in November to reverse the tax cuts of his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng as well as announcing cuts for many departments - although these will not kick in until 2025.

Some Conservative MPs have expressed concern about the tax rises, but Mr Hunt insisted that he had a plan and "if we stick with it, we can get through to the other side".

Backbenchers have also been seeking assurances from the government that it will not increase fuel duty - the tax is suppose to rise in line with inflation, but has repeatedly been frozen.

The Treasury has said a decision on the tax would not be taken until the Budget in spring 2023.