The final countdown is upon us

Rosemary Gallagher | Greg Macvean Photography

I am, of course, talking about what must be the most hyped Budget ever. After much speculation, it will be delivered by Rachel Reeves on Wednesday – the inaugural Budget from the new government and the first from a female Chancellor.

To help make sense of what the statement could hold, we’ve produced a bumper 12-page edition of Scotsman Money.

What is notable from the mood in the market is an unsurprising sense of unease. For example, according to research firm GfK, consumer confidence in the UK fell one point this month, and it described consumers as being in a “despondent mood”.

At least we’ll have some clarity once the details have been announced and a better understanding of what we should be doing to best manage our money.

Tom Ham of Calton gives a more positive slant, describing the Budget as an opportunity – both in terms of how it can let the government lay a solid foundation for growth and “get the most unpopular stuff out of the way”.

Meanwhile, Simon Wigglesworth of Waverton urges us to take the “brakes off your invested wealth… while you still can”, with a helpful checklist of the most popular tax-efficient investment options.

Elsewhere, Euan Fernie at MHA says to look beyond the drama on the day, and take time to examine the details to decide the best course of action.

On Budget day, The Scotsman is bringing together a panel of experts, including representatives from Calton, MHA and Charlotte Street Partners, for a roundtable discussion on what is unveiled. You’ll be able to find out what they, and others, have to say as everything unfolds online at Scotsman.com and in our supplement on Thursday.

What we also have to remember is that Wednesday doesn’t signal the end of fiscal matters. We have the Scottish Budget to look forward to in December, which is unlikely to deliver any early Christmas presents.

One thing that many of us will be hoping for in the months to come is further cuts in interest rates from the Bank of England. Its base rate stands at 5 per cent and mortgage holders are continuing to feel the pain as their current deals come to an end. But there are differing views on how low the rate will go, with Santander predicting a fall to 3.75 per cent by the end of next year, while Goldman Sachs made a bolder prediction of a cut to 2.75 per cent. Once again, as they say, only time will tell.

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