The government's pension plans will fail to achieve the lasting consensus that it seeks, Frank Field, the former minister for welfare reform, said yesterday. Given the government's unwillingness to extend compulsory pension saving, large numbers of people would continue to depend upon means-tested benefits, Mr Field warned. In addition, many people would have a positive incentive not to save for old age....more

Elderly hit by failure to extend tax rate
The government was accused of over-hyping the help the Budget will give to pensioners after it emerged thousands of the elderly on low incomes will not benefit from the 10p income tax rate....more

MIDDLE CLASS
Avoiding the pain of redistribution
Gains for those in low-paid work, much more money for families with children and help for the least well-off are key features of what looks to be a distinctly redistributive budget....more

INCOME
Gainers are at bottom of scale
Distributionally, Gordon Brown's Budget is much in the style of his earlier offerings. The gainers are concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution, while on average those at the top will see their incomes fall, though not by as much as they have feared....more

WELFARE TO WORK
Action to help over-50s find jobs
The government's £4.9bn five-year welfare-to-work programme will continue to focus on the needs of the under-24 long-term unemployed, although the chancellor announced a new scheme is being introduced this year to help over-50s back into work....more

NATIONAL INSURANCE
Upper earnings limit for payments rises
The upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions is being increased to £575 a week from April 2001 to help pay for reforms that the Treasury says will "significantly improve work incentives" for the low-paid....more

HOME LOANS
Miras to be withdrawn from next year
Tax relief on mortgage interest payments (Miras) will be withdrawn from April 2000, after more than a decade of creeping cuts that have reduced the benefit to about £200 a year....more