Brown's budget put back a month

Gordon Brown will present his Budget on 17 April - the first time for 24 years the statement will be delivered after the start of the new tax year.

The Treasury said today that the Budget had been given a much later date than normal "for reasons we are sure everybody will understand".

Today is the Chancellor's first day back at work after the death of his 10-day-old baby daughter, Jennifer, and his schedule has been kept free of public engagements for the next week.

He is expected to spend the next few days getting back up to speed at the Treasury and it was felt that the Budget would be best delayed a few weeks from its usual March date.

Last year's Budget was delivered on 7 March. The last time one was presented in April was in 1978, but it was being stressed in Whitehall that, before then, April Budgets were common.

Headline tax changes - such as any rises in duty for items such as petrol, beer, wine, cigarettes and spirits - would come in straight away, while most personal and corporate tax changes would operate from the start of the tax year as normal, a spokesman said.

As well as Budget planning, Mr Brown must complete a key White Paper on European economic reform and prepare for this summer's Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set spending plans for three years.

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