UK Budget 2026: 'Squeezed middle' households have no fat left to trim
BBC Business reports that middle-income households in the UK enter the 2026 Budget with little room left to absorb further costs, having already cut spending. The warning highlights how years of squeezed budgets have eroded the financial buffer of earners typically too rich for state support but not well-off enough to absorb rising bills. It matters because this group is a key target of budget policy and a barometer of household strain ahead of the chancellor's announcements, though no specific measures are detailed in the report.
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