GOVERNMENT plans to scrap stamp duty for properties under £300,000 and commit £2.8billion to the NHS have been welcomed by politicians.

But Chancellor Philip Hammond was criticised for not providing additional funding to local authorities in his autumn budget statement.

Mr Hammond committed £1.5bn to ‘address concerns’ about the universal credit scheme and vowed to build 300,000 a year by the middle of the next decade.

Duty on beer, wine, spirits and most ciders will be frozen, while tobacco will rise by two per cent and hand rolling tobacco by one per cent.

Fuel duty rise for petrol and diesel cars scheduled for next year have been scrapped but duty for new diesel cars not meeting latest standards will rise in April.

Mr Hammond said there will be good news for workers in April, with the tax-free personal allowance on income tax to rise to £11,850 and the higher-rate tax threshold to increase to £46,350. The National Living Wage will rise in April 2018 to £7.83 an hour.

Mr Hammond also pledged £500million support for 5G mobile networks, full fibre broadband and artificial intelligence, £540million to support the growth of electric cars and £2.3billion for investment in research and development.

Reacting to the budget Blackburn with Darwen MP Kate Hollern said: “I am extremely disappointed with the Chancellor’s decision not to provide additional funding for local authorities today which still leaves the local authority with huge problems delivering adult social care, and will inevitably lead to increased strain on other vital services.

“The decision not to provide funds for new transport infrastructure in the north is also disappointing, and only adds to the idea that the Tories are not focused on the north of the country.”

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “I think it is a great budget for people living in East Lancashire. My personal highlight is abolishing stamp duty for for properties under £300,000. That shows we are backing people’s ambition to own their first home.”

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "I thank the chancellor for a great budget,  helping house buyers, rural motorists, those on universal credit and the NHS. The living wage increase will really benefit the lower earners boosted by the threshold increase."

Blackburn with Darwen Councillor and National Federation of retail Newsagents president, Cllr Suleman Khonat said: “The decision to raise tobacco duties for the second time this year is a hammer blow for the nation's shopkeepers and a massive own goal by the Government. It will simply drive more and more customers to the illegal market and allow organised criminals to prosper at the expense of hardworking, legitimate retailers.”