In all the pre-Budget speculation, leaks and U-turns, one big question emerged - if Chancellor Rachel Reeves was not going to raise income tax, just what changes would she implement to raise the billions the nation needs to balance the books? Finally, we know the answer. And here's what it means for Kent.
Mind you, most of the details were sensationally leaked 30 minutes before the Chancellor delivered her Budget to the Commons - after the Budget of Responsibility's report into the Budget was published online by mistake.
Yet there were no big shocks - primarily, one suspects, because so much of the detail had been leaked in the weeks leading up to it.
As Andrew Tate, a partner at business advisors Kreston Reeves, with offices in Canterbury, Chatham and Sandwich explained: "Ultimately, it was a load of small measures. There were no really big headlines."
So we knew income tax bands will be frozen again; this time until 2031, there will be a so-called 'mansion tax' for homes worth in excess of £2million (through a surcharge on council tax), while salary-sacrifice pension contributions above an annual £2,000 threshold will no longer be exempt from National Insurance from April 2029.
But it is perhaps the rises in the minimum and national living wages - both of which are seeing inflation-beating increases - which have left many firms in Kent fearing what it means for younger staff.
Minimum wage rise
From April 1, 2026, the National Living Wage will rise by 4.1% to £12.71 for those aged 21 and over. That adds £900 gross (so before tax) onto the annual earnings of a full-time worker. The Chancellor said the move will benefit around 2.4 million workers.
Meanwhile, the National Minimum Wage - for 18-20-year-olds - will see a significant 8.5% uptick to £10.85 an hour. That's the equivalent of £1,500 each year, gross. The government says its ultimate goal is to phase out the wage band and replace it with a single adult rate.
The National Minimum Wage for 16-17-year-olds and those on apprentices also rise by 6% to £8 an hour.
All good, but all costs which businesses will have to absorb.
Explains pub boss Brian Keeley-Whiting of WH Pubs, which runs a string of venues in west Kent, among them the Little Brown Jug in Chiddingstone: "We give most people their first job. Unfortunately, you're going to think twice about giving that person their first chance when you've got someone a little bit older with a bit more experience.
"I think for young workers, in hospitality, it could be the death knell."
Adds Rachel Emmerson from Kreston Reeves: "I think this might be the fourth increase in the minimum wage in the last two years, which for those industries such as hospitality and leisure, is going to have an impact.
"It's great for the individual, but for businesses, where they're already seeing margins being squeezed, again, this is just another blow to their bottom line."
Stefano Cuomo, CEO of Macknade in Faversham, was rather more philosophical. He said: "It feels as though the government are trying to balance growth with managing debt.
"We see it with the wages, which we expected, and it is a positive change. It puts pressure on us, but we are here to provide meaningful employment. If that makes us more attractive as a place of work, that's good for us and the sector."
Workplace pensions
Salary-sacrifice for pensions - often referred to as salary exchange - is an optional arrangement where an employee gives up a portion of their salary in return for their employer paying an equivalent amount into their pension. There's now a £2,000 cap before National Insurance will be applied.
Explains financial advisor Liam Nash of Whitstable-based Marble Financial Planning: "If you're contributing the required minimum under auto enrolment rules, and you earn no more than £40,000, then this won't impact you as there's a cap of £2,000 before National Insurance is applied.
"But what's worth noting is that the National Insurance rate is currently 8%, dropping to 2% over earnings of £50,270. So this is likely to have a greater percentage impact on those earning roughly between £40-50,000 than it is on very high earners,"
However, while Labour has confirmed the pension triple-lock will continue - a mechanism which means the state pension rises by the highest of three metrics: the rate of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5% - it means it will now be perilously close to the tax-free income limit.
Pensions will rise by 4.7% (in line with wages growth) - increasing the full annual state pension by £550 for those who retired since April 2016. It rises by £440 for those who retired before.
Rail fares and energy bills
There was good news with a heavily trailed freeze in rail fares for 2026 - the first time ticket prices won't rise for 30 years. It will be welcomed by Kent commuters who are often hit hard by the annual increases.
Energy bills will be reduced. The Chancellor said there will be a £150 cut for the average household bill from April next year. Prescription costs will be frozen and the 5p fuel duty freeze will be extended to 2028.
All of which are designed to ease the cost-of-living and limit inflation.
Income tax thresholds frozen
Despite heavy hints (albeit with a swift U-turn) there is no increase in the basic rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance - maintaining Labour's pre-election promise.
However, income tax bands will, once again, remain frozen as will National Insurance. This time for a further two years until 2028.
While it may sound good in principle, the policy means that as prices rise and wages increase, more of your income is pulled into taxable territory. It's often referred to as fiscal drag. It is expected to raise some £8.3bn for the Treasury, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the independent economic analysts.
Currently, every penny you earn up to £12,570 is income-tax free - it's known as your personal allowance.
The basic tax rate of 20% is charged on any income between the base level and £50,270, with anything above that taxed at 40%. But as your salary grows, more of it becomes taxable, and an increasing number of people are being dragged into the higher-rate bracket even though their real-terms spending power has barely changed.
Had the tax bands lifted with inflation, the basic rate would be closer to £15,500 this year before you enter taxable territory.
It is the single most important measure the government could have produced which can bring families out of the poverty trap
"Freezing the thresholds does feel a little bit underhand," says Liam Nash.
"Part of their manifesto was they were not going to put income tax up, but by freezing the thresholds, that's kind of what they're doing. It's a little bit stealthy, but I guess that's the game they play, isn't it?"
Two-child benefit cap axed
The controversial two-child benefit cap (not to be confused with regular child benefit - this only applies to those applying for child tax credit or Universal Credit) is to be scrapped. Originally introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, the move is set to cost £3bn but is also expected to help ease 350,000 children out of poverty.
Paul Todd, the chief executive of the Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre, welcomed the move. The centre supports hundreds of low-income families on one of Canterbury's largest housing estates, providing food support, advice, youth services and help with benefits and housing.
"It is the single most important measure the government could have produced which can bring families out of the poverty trap," he said. "It's been an unnecessary budget restriction for all these years.
"It's a question of fairness - it seemed unfair to punish families, so I commend the government for this move. Some 20% of families who use us will likely directly benefit, and it's been a really tough time for them when you take into account the cost-of-living crisis."
Added David Holt, deputy chair of trustees at Canterbury Food Bank: "If we're honest, we're surprised it's taken this long.
"From our frontline experience in the Canterbury district, we see why this matters. We've delivered more than 18,500 food parcels this year, many to families working hard but still struggling. We regularly meet parents skipping meals so their children can eat, and children arriving at school hungry.
"This is not about handouts - it's about preventing avoidable hardship and protecting children's wellbeing."
ISAs, fuel subsidies and mobility tax breaks
The annual amount people can put into an ISA will remain at £20,000 - but £8,000 will now be open only to stocks and shares ISAs. The full existing limit for cash ISAs will remain for over-65s.
The government has pledged £1.3bn in subsidies to help fuel the growth in electric cars. However, owners will be subject to a new tax - a pay-by-mile charge. It will be 3p a mile for electric cars and 1.5p for hybrids.
Meanwhile, as expected, she has opted to scrap £300 million in tax breaks for the Mobility scheme - where disabled people are able to use their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit to lease new cars for three years. Premium car brands have also been removed from those available.
'Milkshake tax'
Announced earlier this week, and confirmed today, the existing sugar tax, which mainly applies to fizzy drinks, will be applied to bottles and cartons of milk-based drinks, including milkshakes, flavoured milk, milk substitute drinks and lattes.
Louis Hurst of Whitstable-based HatHats Coffee Company said: "We are waiting for the final detail of the proposed changes to the sugar tax but our understanding is that the proposed tax is aimed mainly at prepacked high sugar drinks such as canned milkshake and canned lattes. If that is the case the impact on our business will be limited because our drinks are prepared fresh in store and do not fall into the same category.
"If the scope is widened to cover freshly made non-packaged drinks, like many hospitality operators, we would have to review a small section of our menu. Most of what we serve is coffee, milk and simple ingredients so the overall effect would be modest."
The current VAT level in hospitality leaves very little headroom when prices across the board keep rising
Lower tax rates for businesses
For business, there was nothing on the scale of last year's National Insurance contributions hike - but a hoped for cut in VAT for hospitality failed to materialise.
However, the Chancellor has promised "permanently lower tax rates" for more than 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties - a move funded by higher rates on properties worth £500,000 or more.
Adds Louis Hurst: "The current VAT level in hospitality leaves very little headroom when prices across the board keep rising.
"We welcome the measures announced about hospitality business rates but would have welcomed more measures to reduce the VAT within the hospitality sector and a reversal of the lower Employers national insurance thresholds."
Concludes Brian Keeley-Whiting: "What we've seen today is a top-up on last year. She didn't listen. She didn't reform National Insurance and use a bit of common sense where she could have done.
"If I said I wasn't disappointed, I'd be lying. Am I shocked? Not at all. Has there been any help for hospitality after we've been screaming for a year? It's completely gone on deaf ears. We've gone from a pretty poor government to this government which is probably the worst for hospitality there's ever been."