Spending review likely to be slashfest

The autumn statement will set out the tenor of the UK Government's spending review, and it's likely to be a slashfest. The Chancellor has little room for manoeuvre. His plans to create a £10bn budget surplus by 2020 have been effectively crippled by the House of Lords rejection of his tax credit cuts, the lacklustre growth in the economy and the tory manifesto commitment not to touch VAT, National Insurance or Income tax.

SCVO will be checking the Chancellor's announcements tomorrow and tweeting with #SR2015

Given that international Aid, health and (now) defence are all protected, social care and local authority budgets are exposed. In England, even health sector representatives, where the budget will be protected, are expressing concerns over the impact of cutting social care on demand. And these are the areas where third sector organisations are most vulnerable to public spending cuts. From a Scottish perspective, the block grant is subject all sorts of consequences from slashing UK department budgets. SCVO will be checking the Chancellor's announcements tomorrow and tweeting with #spendingreview These are some of the key points we will be watching closely:

• changes to plans for a Budget surplus by 2020, and related impact on cuts to social security budgets.
• propositions around the Scotland Bill 'fiscal framework' settlement and the implications this may have for Scottish public services.
• mention of the rumoured diversion of funds from the Big Lottery to subsidise cuts to arts, heritage and sports quangos.
• conclusions of the UK Government review into business rates and charity relief for England, and any implications this may have for Scotland.
• references to the UK Government's promise to engage Scottish civil society on the impact of devolving income tax on Gift Aid.
• mention of bolstering up the National Citizen Service approach, which could undermine volunteering initiatives in Scotland.