What does the Autumn Budget 2026 mean for people with MS

Thursday 29 October 2026

Yesterday, Chancellor John Healey MP delivered the UK Government's Autumn Budget. Many significant decisions, including decisions about PIP, are expected in 2027. In this Budget, several announcements focused on the cost of living.

Health and some welfare policies are devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. So, some of these changes only apply to people living in England. The Scottish Budget will be delivered in Holyrood on Thursday 3 December 2026.

We've had a look at what the announcements mean for people with MS, and what decisions are still to come.

What was announced?

Financial security

A payment of £100 for households in council tax bands A-D in England. This payment aims to help households deal with rising energy bills. The same funding is also provided for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Households will receive this payment in January 2027. The Chancellor also announced some changes to energy bills.

Carer's Allowance will change in the future. Carers will no longer lose all their allowance when they earn over the earnings limit. The new system means Carer's Allowance will be cut gradually by £1 for every £1 earned over the earnings limit. However, this change won't be introduced until 2030/31.

Health and social care

Over £1 billion in investments will be made in new life sciences public-private partnerships. One of these partnerships is with a company who develops continence care products and support.

The Government announced an independent review on NHS productivity and AI, which will report in early 2027.

The Government repeated its commitment to work towards establishing a National Care Service.

What happens next?

From welfare reform to changes in the healthcare system, many significant announcements for the MS community are still to come. The Chancellor set out the next steps in upcoming welfare and social care reform. However, there was no mention of long-awaited details on how the Government will improve neurological care. Here's what we are waiting for:

Welfare

No significant changes to disability benefits were announced. The Timms Review is an important opportunity to fix PIP and build a system based on fairness, dignity and respect. The Chancellor confirmed that the Timms Review will be published in November. He also announced that the government will bring forward a white paper and legislation to reform social security in 2027. We will continue to call for better and fairer support for people with MS.

If you haven't already, sign our petition to fix PIP

Social care

We were pleased to hear the Government's continued commitment to speed up social care reform and create a National Care Service. Social care has long failed people with MS. We want a system that works for people who need support that changes day-to-day. This is especially important for the working-age adults and families who make up a significant part of the MS community. We're calling on the government to make sure that people with MS are involved in shaping these reforms.

Healthcare

The Chancellor did not announce any significant changes to healthcare. We were disappointed not to hear further details on the NHS 10-Year Workforce Plan. And there was no mention of plans for the next wave of Modern Service Frameworks (MSFs), which are national plans to improve care for specific conditions.

Access to specialist MS care is vital for people to get the right treatment at the right time. It's also important for monitoring disease progression and accessing care and support to live well. However, we know that people with neurological conditions often can't access the right care and treatment when they need it. A dedicated plan would be the first step towards transforming care for people with neurological conditions, including MS.

Together with the Neurological Alliance, we have made the case for an MSF for neurological conditions. Recently, we delivered our open letter to the Health and Social Care Secretary, calling for an MSF for neurological conditions. We will continue to call on the government to improve neurological care through an MSF for neurological conditions.

Download our Neurological Conditions Modern Service Framework (PDF 2.4MB)

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