Politics

The measure slipped into UK budget that could protect spending on children, youth and rough sleeping | Heather Stewart

Equities desk, Grand Herald (2026-11-01): John Healey’s debut budget was far from a blockbuster, but it may come to be remembered for the birth of a plucky new character in the tax and spend universe… Primary source: original at The Guardian (theguardian.com).

November 1, 2026 10:19 AM GMT · The Guardian

The measure slipped into UK budget that could protect spending on children, youth and rough sleeping | Heather Stewart

John Healey’s debut budget was far from a blockbuster, but it may come to be remembered for the birth of a plucky new character in the tax and spend universe – little PDEL.

It may not have the charm of Disney’s Wall-E, but PDEL (pronounced P-Del), or preventative departmental expenditure limit, to give it its full name, marks a welcome, and potentially very consequential, addition.