The Chancellor chose this headline, but I think Investors also get a look in.

(SMALL) MAKERS

I take this to be businesses. In fact, it's largely small to medium companies that benefit from today's announcements being the changes to AIA, SEIS and R&D.

Today's Autumn Statement was more of a mini Budget than usual. Presumably due to the recent pressure being applied by the opposition.

The good news for businesses is that taking on an under 21 year old won't cost you any national insurance, but only from April 2015. In the meantime, if you can't wait, you can employ anyone on up about £22k (or more than one person on lower salaries) from April 2014, and, under a previously announced measure, this won't cost you any national insurance either. Both rules will continue into April 2015, so you could arrange your workforce to cost you no national insurance at all.

It has at last been recognised that small retailers need help in competing against the Internet. Potentially, the most valuable relief is a 50% reduction in rates when re-occupying an empty property. Being able to pay rates in monthly instalments may also be helpful for some.

Marriage and civil partnerships are provided with many reliefs within the tax system and I'm surprised why people claim otherwise.

Business Partnerships

Where one spouse is a partner, it's very often the case that their spouse gets involved in the business later on, for example, a wife decides to stay at home when the children are young and instead of working for a third party, helps out in her husband's business.

Necessarily a muted Budget, as the Chancellor had little room for manoeuvre, but there were a couple of surprises to keep us interested!

National Insurance £2,000 Credit - from April 2014

Giving a £2,000 credit from April 2014 against employer's national insurance is a welcome initiative which may encourage small businesses to take on some staff.