“This is a Budget that sets Greater Manchester up for the next decade of good growth, and we thank the Chancellor for listening to our calls.” Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“The commitment to a new visitor levy will enable us to continue to support our thriving visitor economy and invest in the infrastructure to better support that growth, like later public transport, and making sure that everyone has a positive experience in Greater Manchester.
“Ensuring public transport is affordable is a priority for us, and through the Bee Network we’ve been working hard to keep bus and tram fares as low as possible. It’s important that rail isn’t left behind, and we welcome the move to freeze rail fares for a year starting from March 2026. It’s a positive commitment ahead of major changes to simplify rail fares across Greater Manchester from Sunday 7 December.
“We have long argued that the two-child benefit cap has unfairly punished parents with more than two children and pushed more families into poverty.
“In the worst cases, families are at risk of losing their homes. In Greater Manchester alone there are already thousands of children living in temporary accommodation – often tearing young families from their communities, and adding to the growing pressure on local council budgets.
“This is not just a moral argument but a financial one, and the decision to end the cap is the right one.”
