Budget 25: Protection and health headlines

NHS, welfare reform, economic inactivity and more

Cameron Roberts
clock • 2 min read

Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (26 November 2025) delivered the Autumn Budget 2025, setting out the Government’s spending priorities for the next 12 months.

The speech covered numerous facets of national spend but many headlines were dominated with the news that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) mistakenly released its forecast 30 minutes before Reeves' speech. As always, however, NHS spending priorities took centre stage for our industry, alongside employment, welfare reforms and numerous missed opportunities for protection. NHS investment Reeves committed to reducing the NHS waiting list (which, as of September 2025, stood at 7.41 million patients) and announced investments in technology and community health centres for the h...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Regulation

Budget 25: IHT nil rate bands frozen

Budget 25: IHT nil rate bands frozen

Confirmed in Budget documents today

Isabel Baxter
clock 26 November 2025 • 2 min read
Budget 25: NHS receives £300m boost for tech

Budget 25: NHS receives £300m boost for tech

250 Neighbourhood Health Centres added

Cameron Roberts
clock 26 November 2025 • 2 min read
Budget 25: Increased support for young workers

Budget 25: Increased support for young workers

£820m funding confirmed for a new Youth Guarantee

Jaskeet Briah
clock 26 November 2025 • 2 min read