Sticking to Labour’s manifesto pledge and freezing income tax thresholds rather than raising income tax has hurt low- and middle-income earners, an influential thinktank has said.

Millions of these workers “would have been better off with their tax rates rising than their thresholds being frozen”, according to the Resolution Foundation’s chief executive, Ruth Curtice.

“Ironically, sticking to her manifesto tax pledge has cost millions of low-to-middle earners”, she said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her budget speech that the point at which people start paying higher rates of tax has been held. It means earners are set to be dragged into higher tax bands as they get pay rises.

The chancellor felt unable to raise income tax as the Labour Party pledged not to raise taxes on working people in its election manifesto.

But many are saying that pledge was broken regardless, as the tax burden has increased by £26bn in this budget.

When asked by Sky News whether Ms Reeves would accept she broke the manifesto pledge, she said on Thursday: “I do recognise that yesterday I have asked working people to contribute a bit more by freezing those thresholds for a further three years from 2028.”

“I do recognise that that will mean that working people pay a bit more, but I’ve kept that contribution to an absolute minimum”.

Read more:
Budget 2025: The key points at a glance
Budget tax calculator: How much more will you pay?

As a result of the freeze in income tax bands, another closely watched thinktank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said a basic-rate taxpayer will pay £220 more tax per year, while a higher-rate taxpayer will be charged £600 more annually.

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The Resolution Foundation thinktank, which aims to raise living standards, welcomed measures designed to support people with the cost of living, such as the removal of the two-child benefit cap, which limited the number of children families could claim benefits for.

The announced reduction in energy bills through the removal of as yet unspecified levies was similarly welcomed.

The chancellor said bills would become £150 cheaper a year, but the foundation said typical energy bills will fall by around £130 annually for the next three years, “though support then fades away”.

Credit was also given to Ms Reeves for increasing the financial cushion she has against market shocks, like a spike in energy prices.

This is part of her self-imposed fiscal rules to bring down debt and balance the budget by 2030.

As a result, less policy speculation and more stability can be expected.

“The decision to increase her headroom, when she didn’t strictly need to, deserves credit,” said economics research institute, the IFS.

“It means that it will require a larger shock to blow the chancellor off course. This in turn should mean that we can expect a period of greater stability and more muted policy speculation.”

More money, however, will be borrowed as a result of the budget, said independent forecasters, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

Budget spending and tax policies increase borrowing by an average of £5bn over the next three years, but then reduces it by roughly £13bn in the following two.

More to come

This budget won’t be the last of it, the Resolution Foundation’s Ms Curtice said, as economic growth forecasts have been downgraded by the OBR, and growth is a “hurdle that remains to be cleared”.

“Until that challenge is taken on, we can expect plenty more bracing budgets,” she added.

It comes despite Ms Reeves saying as far back as last year, there would be no more tax increases.

Ultimately, though, the foundation said: “The great drumbeat of doom that preceded the chancellor’s big day turned out to be over the top: the forecasts came in better than many had feared.”

The Scottish government does not intend to increase income tax rates or introduce new bands in next year’s budget, First Minister John Swinney has vowed.

However, the SNP leader did not disclose if the pay thresholds will remain the same.

In the 2025 Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £26bn worth of tax rises – including extending the freeze on tax thresholds which could see earners dragged into higher bands if they get a pay rise.

At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay accused the UK chancellor of “screwing taxpayers”.

He added: “She’s also borrowing even more money, leaving more debt to future generations. And she did all of this, all of this, despite saying that she would do none of it.

“Does John Swinney intend to keep the SNP manifesto promise not to raise tax on Scottish workers?”

In Scotland, Holyrood ministers have used devolved powers to set up an income tax system with seven bands compared to the UK’s four.

Earlier in the day, Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the tax strategy in January’s budget would remain the same ahead of next year’s Holyrood election.

Citing this, Mr Swinney said: “Obviously, the government is giving consideration to the implications of the United Kingdom budget for the Scottish budget.

“But the finance secretary confirmed this morning that the Scottish government will not increase income tax rates or introduce any new bands.”

Read more:
Budget 2025: The key points at a glance
Budget calculator: See how your finances have changed

The UK government’s scrapping of the two-child benefit cap has freed up about £155m in Scottish government funding that was going to be used to mitigate the cap north of the border.

Mr Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, urged Mr Swinney to now use that cash to lower income tax bills.

He said: “We believe that Scottish taxpayers deserve to keep more of their own hard-earned money. They deserve fairness and they deserve a break from higher bills.”

The first minister previously said the money would be invested in other initiatives to help reduce child poverty “even further”.

Mr Swinney said he was “glad” the Scottish government “shamed the Labour Party into acting on this particular issue”.

He added: “So, when Mr Findlay attacks me for asking people on higher earnings to pay more in tax, I’m prepared to do that so that I can work to eradicate child poverty, which is the best thing for the future of our country.”

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! To celebrate the day, we’ve got another jam-packed edition of Green Deals, with plenty more that you can browse in our official Black Friday Green Deals hub here, encompassing all the sales/deals we’ve collected over the last few weeks that are still alive and well. Headlining today’s features is Rad Power’s expanded Black Friday Sale, which is seeing increased prices to new lows, like the RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike at $1,399, among others. From there, we also have a large collection of Anker eufy solar cams, and other smart security devices starting from $50, as well as GE’s Profile Smart Electric Ventless Heat Pump Washer/Dryer Combo at $2,000, the next EcoFlow 48-hour flash sale, Aiper’s robot pool cleaners, smart composters, hydroponic gardens, and so much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page (and also in our Green Deals hub), like yesterday’s first post-launch price cuts on the Heybike Mars 3.0 and Ranger 3.0 Pro e-bikes, the Tesla universal EV charger retaining a $50 discount, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Rad Power expands Black Friday e-bike lineup and increases savings to new lows starting from $999

Rad Power Bikes has expanded its Black Friday Sale with additional offers while retaining the previous lineup of new lows and more. Among the bunch, we’re seeing the biggest price cut yet on the RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike at $1,399 shipped. Coming down from the full $1,899 price tag that it has spent much of 2025 keeping to, we’ve mostly seen a mix of free bundle offers (without price cuts) and occasional discounts as low as $1,699. Now, for Black Friday, this newer model is getting a larger-than-ever $500 markdown to a new all-time low price. Head below to learn more about it and the expanded/increased Rad Power Black Friday savings.

The Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus comes as the latest iteration of the brand’s space-saving, folding series, able to condense down to 29 inches high by 25 inches wide by 41 inches long to fit inside closets, car trunks, on RVs, and more. The 750W rear hub motor is paired with a 720Wh battery to carry you for up to 60+ miles with its five PAS levels activated at up to 20 MPH top speeds (supported by a torque sensor). Among its updated features, you’ll be getting a hydraulic suspension fork alongside hydraulic disc brakes for smoother rides and greater stopping power. There’s also the puncture-resistant tires, fenders to go over top of them, a rear cargo rack for added versatility, an LED headlight, a brake-activated taillight, a Shimano 7-speed derailleur, a color display with a USB-C port, and more.

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With the brand going through financial turmoil, now’s your chance to cash in on some of Rad Power’s deep clearance-meets-Black Friday savings.

Rad Power’s full Black Friday Sale lineup:

• RadRover 6 Plus Step-Thru e-bike (new low): $999 (Reg. $1,599)
  • 20 MPH for up to 45+ miles
• RadRunner Cargo Utility e-bike (new low): $1,349 (Reg. $1,499)
  • 20 MPH for up to 55+ miles
• RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike (new low): $1,399 (Reg. $1,899)
  • 20 MPH for up to 60+ miles
• RadRunner Plus Cargo Utility e-bike (new low): $1,649 (Reg. $1,799)
  • 20 MPH for up to 55+ miles
• Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike (new low): $1,699 (Reg. $1,999)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 65+ miles
• Radster Road Commuter e-bike (new low): $1,699 (Reg. $1,999)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 65+ miles
• RadWagon 5 Cargo e-bike: $2,199 (Reg. $2,399)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 60+ miles
• RadRunner Max Cargo Utility e-bike (new low): $2,199 (Reg. $2,299)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 60+ miles w/ most advanced smart features

Anker’s eufy solar security cameras, smart locks, more get up to 50% Black Friday savings to new lows starting from $50

With Amazon’s Black Friday Week Sale in full momentum, Anker’s official eufy storefront is offering up to 50% discounts across its lineup of smart security devices, and the best rate yet on the SoloCam S220 Wireless Solar Security Camera that starts from $49.99 shipped, while its 4-camera package is a great get for multi-point coverage at $179.99 shipped. Normally going for $100 without any discounts, we’ve seen the cost get taken down as low as $60 previously in the year, with this holiday deal bringing even more savings to the mix by cutting the price in half. You’ll save $50 off the going rate for a 50% markdown on the single-cam package, while the 4-camera kit is seeing a 36% cut of $100 – dropping both options to new all-time lows.

If you want to learn more about this model, or check out the full lineup of deals on other cameras, video doorbells, smart locks, and more – be sure to check out our original coverage of these Black Friday deals here.

GE’s 2-in-1 Profile smart ventless electric washer/dryer combo with heat pump at $2,000 (Reg. $2,700)

As part of its Black Friday Appliance Sale, Best Buy is offering the GE Profile 4.8 Cubic-Foot Smart Combo Electric Washer & Dryer with Ventless Heat Pump at $1,999.99 shipped. While it carries a $2,999 MSRP direct from the brand, at Best Buy we normally see it starting lower at $2,700, with the discounts we’ve spotted over the year regularly dropping the rate between $2,200 and $2,000, with things having gone as low as $1,750 once this year back during July’s Prime Day event. You’re still looking at a solid $700 markdown off the going rate (and $999 off the MSRP) to land at the third-lowest price we have tracked. There are also alternate options in Samsung’s massive Black Friday Appliance Sale here to weigh your options.

If you want to learn more about this specific model, be sure to check out our original coverage of these savings here.

Best Fall EV deals!

• Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (camo) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $3,048 (Reg. $3,298)
• Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (sage or fig) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $2,948 (Reg. $3,298)
• Velotric Nomad 2X Multi-Terrain Full Suspension e-bike w/ $96 bundle: $2,299 (Reg. $2,399)
• Heybike Hero 750W Mid-Drive Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike: $2,299 (Reg. $3,099)
• Rad Power Radster Road Commuter e-bike: $1,999 (Reg. $2,199)
• Rad Power Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike: $1,999 (Reg. $2,199)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 35Ah Cargo e-bike w/ $893 bundle: $1,999 (Reg. $2,761)
• Ride1Up TrailRush German Mid-Drive e-bike (first discount): $1,995 (Reg. $2,095)
• Heybike Hero 1,000W Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike: $1,899 (Reg. $2,599)
• Tenways Wayfarer e-bike with $277 bundle (launch deal): $1,899 (Reg. $2,199)
• Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike (gray or white) with DELTA 2 station: $1,898 (Reg. $2,198)
• Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike (mango or blue) with DELTA 2 station: $1,828 (Reg. $2,198)
• Velotric Summit 1 Versatile Multi-Terrain e-bike with $160 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $1,999)
• Aventon Aventure 3 Smart All-Terrain e-bike (first discount): $1,799 (Reg. $1,999)
• Aventon Aventure 3 Smart Step-Through All-Terrain e-bike (first discount): $1,799 (Reg. $1,999)
• Lectric XP Trike2 750 Long-Range eTrike with $558 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,357)
• Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike (lowest price): $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 26Ah Cargo e-bike w/ $744 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,543)
• Aventon Level 3 Step-Over Smart Commuter e-bike (first discount): $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
• Aventon Level 3 Step-Through Smart Commuter e-bike (first discount): $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
• Lectric XPeak 2.0 Long-Range Off-Road e-bike with $583 bundle: $1,699 (Reg. $2,282)
• Rad Power RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike with extra battery: $1,599 (Reg. $1,799)
• Aventon Abound Cargo e-bike: $1,599 (Reg. $1,999)
• Ride1Up VORSA Modular Multi-Use e-bike: $1,595 (Reg. $1,695)
• Rad Power RadRunner Cargo Utility e-bike with extra battery: $1,499 (No pirce cut)
• Lectric XPeak 2.0 Standard Off-Road e-bike with $434 bundle: $1,499 (Reg. $1,933)
• Lectric XP Trike2 with $257 bundle: $1,499 (Reg. $1,756)
• Rad Power RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,799)
• Aventon Aventure 2 All-Terrain e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,999)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 13Ah Cargo e-bike with $346 bundle: $1,399 (Reg. $1,745)
• Aventon Level 2 Commuter e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,899)
• Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus Step-Thru Fat Tire e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,599)
• Heybike ALPHA All-Terrain e-bike with $266 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,699)
• Lectric XPress 750 Commuter e-bikes with $439 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,703)
• Lectric XP4 750 LR Folding Utility e-bikes with up to $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
• Heybike Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike (new low): $1,299 (Reg. $1,899)
• Rad Power RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike: $1,299 (Reg. $1,799)
• Heybike Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with extra battery: $1,199 (Reg. $1,848)
• Lectric XP Lite 2.0 JW Black LR e-bike with $449 bundle: $1,099 (Reg. $1,548)
• Heybike Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike with $89+ bundle: $1,099 (Reg. $1,413)
• Lectric XP4 Standard Folding Utility e-bikes with $326 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,325)
• Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $449 bundles: $999 (Reg. $1,448)
• Heybike Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with Black Friday gift: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
• Heybike Ranger S Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with Black Friday gift: $999 (Reg. $1,499)

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.