All the key announcements in Rishi Sunak's Budget 2021 - from furlough to stamp duty

Inhaler have announced details of their full UK and Ireland tour for autumn 2021.The Dublin band, who announced their debut album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ earlier this week, will hit the road for an extensive tour from September to December 2021.You can check out the dates in full below.SEPTEMBER 202128 – Sheffield Octagon29 – Sept Leeds O2 AcademyOCTOBER 20211 – Newcastle University2 – Birmingham O2 Institute3 – Bristol O2 Academy5 – Nottingham Rock City6 – London O2 Forum Kentish Town7 –

Scotland and the whole of the UK" as the country seeks to "recover from the devastating impact of coronavirus".He told how the UK Government had delivered some £13.3 billion of cash to the Scottish Government since the pandemic began a year ago.And he said his Budget, announced earlier this month, would help "support the United Kingdom's recovery".Sunak, speaking at the Scottish Conservative conference, insisted that was a "recovery which Scotland will play an important part in".He told how the

direct to your inboxMatt Hancock confirmed that coronavirus cases, hospital admissions and deaths are continuing to fall as more and more people become vaccinated in the UK. The Health Secretary led the latest Downing Street press conference alongside Public Health England’s Dr Susan Hopkins.

direct to your inboxAs part of today's new budget announcement, chancellor Rishi Sunak updated the UK on duty tax on both alcohol and fuel.Many people had expected the cost of alcohol and fuel to rise after the Budget.However, Rishi has now announced that all alcohol duties will be frozen - news which will be welcomed by millions of people in the UK.The Chancellor also announced that "the planned increase in fuel duty is also cancelled."Rishi Sunak told MPs: “I can confirm that the planned

contactless card payment limit will rise from £45 to £100 from Wednesday, March 3 in an effort to boost the retail sector and help protect jobs.However, shoppers may not be able to take advantage of the increased limit until firms make changes to their systems.The changes have been set out in Wednesday's Budget and will see the legal single contactless payment limit more than double.

direct to your inboxThe limit on contactless payments is set to rise from £45 to £100.Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who will announce the plans in his 2021 Budget, said the change will boost the retail sector and help protect jobs in the UK.The change will legally come into force from today, but firms will need to make the necessary systems changes before being able to offer customers the higher limit.The UK has been allowed to make the change after leaving the EU, which limits contactless payments to

direct to your inboxRishi Sunak will unveil the 2021 Budget today.The Chancellor will set out the UK government's spending plan in his annual statement. Last night, it was revealed he would be revealing an extension to the furlough scheme until the end of September.

Joe Biden rather than repeat the "failures of the past" ahead of setting out the Budget.Ian Blackford said he fears "more of the same" from the Chancellor after a decade of austerity under Conservative governments.And the SNP Westminster leader insisted the UK should look towards the response of President Biden after the House of Representatives passed a 1.9 trillion dollars Covid relief bill.Blackford said: "I think what the Covid pandemic has shown is the basic inequalities that exist in the

Anna Marie de la Fuente Multi-hyphenate Roselyn Sanchez (“Grand Hotel,” “Devious Maids”) is set to film her directorial feature debut, “Diario: Mujer y Cafe,” in Puerto Rico this summer, said producer Jolene Rodriguez, president of Broken English Prods.

direct to your inbox The issue of vaccine passports is one which is beset with complex moral and legal considerations, but it could pave the way out of the coronavirus pandemic and for more normal life to return.

Rishi Sunak has indicated he will extend emergency support packages as the coronavirus lockdown is unwound, and did not rule out first raising taxes before cutting them ahead of the next election.The Chancellor insisted ahead of Wednesday's Budget that he is in favour of low taxes but said he needs to repair the public finances from the "enormous shock" of the pandemic.He said he does not "recognise" suggestions he told MPs in private that he would raise taxes now before cutting them in a