The UK's economy grew slightly in August, according to the last set of official figures before John Healey's Budget.
With the chancellor planning to set out his tax and spending plans at the end of the month, the Office for National Statistics said the economy expanded by 0.1% in the month.
The small increase follows growth of 0.4% in July, as well as positive upgrades to the outlook for Britain's economy from global watchdog the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
But Healey still faces a challenge to to deliver a balanced Budget without turning to more borrowing.