The OBR was scheduled to publish its forecasts following the budget, which Finance Minister Rachel Reeves began delivering in parliament at 12:30 p.m. London time (7:30 a.m. ET). As she began speaking, Reeves labeled the early release of the OBR's outlook "deeply disappointing and a serious error on their part."

Britain's fiscal watchdog apologised for publishing details of Rachel Reeves' budget early on Wednesday, a blunder that stole the finance minister's chance to reset the political narrative after months of leaks and speculation about her plans.

To obtain the £16 (€19) visa waiver, travellers need to complete an online process via official UK government channels.

Netherlands residents are still falling for commercial websites that offer “stress-free” electronic travel authorizations (ETAs), the documents required to enter the United Kingdom since April. These sites charge around 200 euros per document for their services,

The UK government has warned European travellers that they will be refused entry from February 2026, if they do not have the required ETA visa waiver.

Visitors from countries such as the US, Canada and Australia will not be able to enter the UK without an ETA from 25 February 2026 onwards. View on euronews

Britain’s government will have more than double its previous buffer for meeting its fiscal targets, due in large part to tax rises, according to estimates by the country’s fiscal watchdog published on its website on Wednesday ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget statement.