The changes include the following:
► Class 1 - the weekly earnings level below which you pay no contributions as an employee becomes £110.
► Class 2 (self-employed flat rate) - the weekly rate becomes £2.40.

There are various new provisions including an extended stamp duty land tax threshold which applies on acquisitions of residential property of no more than £175,000 between 3 September 2008 and 31 December 2009.

Changes include the following:
► The registration threshold increases to £68,000 from 1 May 2009 (23.5).

The standard rate of landfill tax increases to £48 from 1 April 2010.

The definition of and taxation of offshore funds is changing in various respects including restoring the non-repayable tax credit for dividends for holders of less than 10 per cent of the shares in certain cases and capital gains.

New measures cover tax avoidance including selling lessor companies, plant and machinery leasing, pensions (anti-forestalling), life insurance policies, employment income legislation and double taxation relief.

The nil rate band increases to £325,000 for 2009-10 and £350,000 for 2010-11.
The extra amounts of nil rate band provide scope for additional tax free gifts by will and during your lifetime.

For 2009-10 there is a single lifetime allowance and an annual allowance, set at £1.75m and £245,000.

For 2009-10, the tax rates for trusts remain at 40 per cent, with a dividend rate of 32.5 per cent.

The ISA limit that those aged 50 and over in 2009-10 will be able to invest is £10,200, of which up to £5,100 can be in cash.

The capital gains tax rate remains at 18 per cent.

For 2009-10 (the year to 31 March 2010 for all companies) a temporary first year allowance of 40 per cent applies for expenditure on general plant and machinery.

The company car tax scheme will be altered from 2011-12 including the abolition of the £80,000 cost cap and the discounts for alternative fuels.

The rate bands have been widened and some of the personal allowances have increased.