While the Budget did not set out substantial new measures for the health and social care sector, particularly when compared with the earlier Spending Review, there were nonetheless several announcements worth noting.

The most significant was the commitment to establish 250 new neighbourhood health centres, intended to improve public health and ease pressures on the NHS. This is a welcome development and an important step in expanding care closer to home, enhancing access, and strengthening the delivery of services. However, progress will not be achieved by bricks and mortar alone. To fulfil their potential, neighbourhood centres will require increased workforce capacity, modernised digital systems, and stronger coordination across local services. Without these enabling conditions, the centres risk falling short of their purpose.

Complementing this, the £300 million investment in health technology is both timely and necessary, supporting a central pillar of the Government’s ten-year plan for healthcare. Yet questions remain. The Government must now outline in practical terms how new technologies will meaningfully empower staff, improve patient experience, and relieve systemic pressures rather than add to them. Implementation will matter just as much as investment.

The Budget also confirmed the intention to remove the two-child benefit cap, a change with potentially significant implications for reducing health inequalities. Economic insecurity remains one of the most persistent drivers of poor health outcomes across the UK, and reversing the cap could be an important step towards breaking cycles of disadvantage. It will be essential for the Government to maintain focus on tackling inequalities in the years ahead to support healthier lives across the population.

As we move into the new year, further action will be needed. We look forward to seeing how the Government plans to build on these announcements to strengthen the health and care system and support the wellbeing of communities across the country.