1999 United Kingdom budget

The 1999 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as Budget 99: Building a Stronger Economic Future for Britain was the formal government budget for the year 1999.[1]

1999 (1999) United Kingdom Budget
Submitted9 March 1999
Parliament52nd
PartyLabour
ChancellorGordon Brown
Total revenue£349 billion
Total expenditures£349 billion
Deficit£0 billion
WebsiteBudget 1999
Numbers are projections.
‹ 1998
2000

Background edit

The budget took place during a period of continuing economic expansion, shortly after the launch of the Euro currency on 1 January 1999, and at the tail end of the dot-com bubble.

During 1998, net public sector debt stood at £361.2 billion, 35.6 per cent of GDP.[2][3]

Interest rates had declined rapidly over the previous twelve months from a peak of 7.5 per cent in June 1998 to 5.5 per cent by February 1999,[4] whilst inflation during 1998 was recorded at 1.6 per cent (CPI) and 3.4 per cent (RPI).[5][6]

Budget measures edit

A new starting rate of income tax at 10 per cent was to be introduced in April 1999. Basic rate income tax was to be reduced from 23 per cent to 22 per cent in April 2000. The budget also abolished the married couple's allowance for under-65s and MIRAS mortgage interest relief from April 2000. Child tax credit was to be introduced and employer national insurance contributions cut by 0.5 per cent from April 2001. Stamp duties on property were to be raised. A climate change levy was scheduled for the 2001-02 fiscal year.[7]

Details edit

Tax Revenue edit

Receipts 1999-2000 Revenues (£bn)
Business rates 16
Corporation Tax 30
Council Tax 13
Excise Duties 36
Income Tax 88
NI 56
VAT 54
Other 56
Total Government revenue 349

Spending edit

Department 1999-2000 Expenditure (£bn)
Debt Interest 26
Defense 22
Education 41
Health 61
Housing & Environment 13
Industry, Agriculture, Employment 15
Law & Order 19
Other 41
Social Security 102
Transport 9
Total Government spending 349

References edit

  1. ^ "Budget 1999" (PDF). HM Revenue and Customs. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Net Debt (excluding public sector banks)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Net Debt (excluding public sector banks) as % of GDP". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Official Bank Rate history". Bank of England. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  5. ^ "CPI annual rate". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  6. ^ "RPI annual rate". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Gordon Brown: a decade of Budgets". BBC News. 18 March 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2019.