Philip Hammond urged to make moves to end austerity

Thinktank promotes measures to help chancellor increase NHS spending and reverse planned cuts to services

Philip Hammond could make progress towards ending austerity in his budget on 29 October despite opposition from backbench Tory MPs to tax rises and extra borrowing, according to a leading tax and benefits thinktank.

The Resolution Foundation said a freeze on income tax and inheritance tax thresholds before the end of the parliament would raise billions of pounds for public services. Cutting a string of tax reliefs for employers would also improve the chancellor's war chest as he seeks to pay for increased NHS spending and reverse planned cuts to services.

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