BBC Newscast panel dissects the UK budget, OBR growth forecasts and the welfare debate

A panel of BBC journalists, including Chris and Faisal, together with economist Helen, work through the latest UK budget and the wider political picture. The discussion pairs charts and official forecasts with reporting from Westminster, covering growth, borrowing, living standards and welfare reform.

■ Budget verdict and growth outlook
- One-word assessments of the budget and what a small package of 98 measures signals
- OBR growth projections to 2031, the upgrade for this year and the downgrade for 2027
- £65bn of additional borrowing, gilt yields and the rise in annual debt interest costs

■ Household incomes over seven decades
- Real household disposable income trends from the 1950s to the present decade
- The shift in tax from roughly 33% to 38% of national income
- Possible drivers of future growth, including AI, demographics and migration

■ Politics, welfare and energy
- Andy Burnham's first 100 days and the debate over election timing
- The benefits bill, the forthcoming Alan Milburn review and devolution of tax powers
- Energy policy reframed around lower costs, and the Prime Minister's long-term plan

Anyone following UK politics, fiscal policy or economic forecasting will find a compact, data-led briefing here. Watching gives you the framework used to assess budgets and forecasts, plus the context behind current debates on growth, living standards and welfare.