We’ll live blog the Spring Statement announcement, so make sure to check back on 3 March.
The Spring Statement 2026 outlines the updated economic and fiscal forecast for the UK economy.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver this statement to Parliament on 3 March. Knowing what is coming helps you protect your cash flow, secure funding, and prepare your creative business for the next financial year.
Note: Not sure how the latest Budget and Spring Statement affects your creative agency?
Table of contents
1. When does the Spring Statement 2026 take place?
The Spring Statement 2026 lands on 3 March 2026.
That’s when Chancellor Rachel Reeves takes to Parliament to respond to the latest OBR forecast – a routine checkpoint on where the economy stands, rather than a moment for big announcements.
The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes its economic and fiscal forecast on the same day, giving the statement its backbone. But don’t expect any major tax or spending surprises. The government has been clear that those conversations happen at the Budget, with the last one taking place in November 2025.
👉 Read our blog post, and check how the latest Autumn Budget 2025 affects your creative agency.
2. Record surplus ahead of Spring Statement 2026: what this means for creative agencies
The economic backdrop heading into 3 March is more positive than many expected. The UK recorded a budget surplus of £30.4bn in January 2026 – the largest since records began in 1993 – driven by strong capital gains tax receipts and income tax revenue well ahead of forecasts.
That’s giving Rachel Reeves a bit more breathing room than she had going into the Autumn Budget.
The OBR will lay out exactly where things stand:
- borrowing levels
- tax receipts and
- how much fiscal headroom remains.
For creative agencies, this is a confidence-booster!
When the broader economy is in better shape, confident clients approve budgets. The statement will shape how production decisions get made for the rest of the year, so it’s wort keeping an eye on what the OBR say about growth opportunities.
3. What the Spring Statement brings for UK creatives
The Chancellor has been clear that the Spring Statement isn’t a major tax event, but that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant to how you run your business.
Sustained changes to employer payroll costs (even incremental ones) have a direct knock-on effect on production budgets and how you approach freelance hiring. Any shift in that area is worth tracking closely.
Beyond payroll, the statement could surface initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth:
- targeted funding for the creative sector or
- improved access to scale-up finance.
These aren’t guaranteed, but they’re worth watching if you’re thinking about agency growth in the year ahead.
4. How is the UK economy doing in the creative sector?
The UK GDP grew by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2025, and it grew by 1.3% over the whole of 2025.
Unemployment hit the highest rates in nearly five years, but wages have been slowly growing. So, what can you do?
Review your current tax liabilities and creative tax reliefs against the Autumn Budget to identify vulnerabilities before any new tax rises take effect.
WallsMan Creative specialises in helping UK creative businesses navigate tax changes and optimise their financial strategies. Get in touch to discuss how the upcoming statement impacts your agency.
