Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHelen CorbettSunday 02 August 2026 10:18 BSTGovernment announces date of 2026 BudgetChancellor John Healey announced he will be closely monitoring for price gouging at petrol pumps and in supermarkets, as the war in Iran continues to affect prices.Healey conceded that the government ”can’t completely stop the squeeze” on families and businesses but signalled readiness to intervene against unfair price rises.Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in his new premiership, is focusing on tackling cost-of-living pressures, having taken office two weeks prior.Burnham has introduced measures including a VAT cut on energy bills and capping bus fares at £2 until 2027, and aims to further reduce utility and rail fares.Healey's first budget, scheduled for 28 October, will be built on fiscal discipline, with departments instructed to reallocate funds from existing programmes for new pledges.In fullJohn Healey warns supermarkets not to ‘rip off’ Britons as Iran war fuels cost of living crisisMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in