How does the Budget affect you?

THE FAMILY WITH CHILDREN

Mum-of-four Sharron Reynolds, 42, lives in a semi-detached house in Swain House with husband lorry driver and army veteran Martin, 44, and Laura, 20, Kirsty, 18, Jessica, 15, and Joshua, 13. The eldest two children are desperately seeking work, the others are still at school.

Mrs Reynolds, who is partially sighted and gets disability living allowance, is worried the latest budget has glossed over benefits - probably because they are being cut - she says.

"My husband gets a small army pension to help our income but I'm going to lose child benefit for the eldest two soon because they've finished college. Our family will need as much help from this budget as we can get.

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"I'd like to find out how this budget could help create more new jobs, my oldest girls are struggling to find work even though they're trying hard," she said.

The freeze in duty on cigarettes has given her no incentive to quit the nicotine. She said: "I smoke about 15 a day but I'm trying to give up. It might have been more of an incentive if the price was put up. I only really drink on a Friday either at home, at a friend's or we go to Eccleshill Working Men's Club where the drink's cheap anyway. It'll help them keep people coming in if the beer doesn't go up!"

With two cars and a motorbike in the family, Mrs Reynolds added: "The fuel freeze is definitely good news for us."

THE PENSIONER

Eileen Armstrong, 67, a retired teacher who now volunteers helping the homeless and socially deprived, lives in a back-to-back house in Barkerend with her former bus driver husband. The couple have four grown-up children and one of their youngest sons, 26, still lives at home.

“It’s just electioneering. It’s not a serious Budget,” she said.

“The chancellor is trying to make out its all rosy in the garden but it isn’t. There’s no big changes for us. An extra penny off a pint won’t convince me to take up drinking and as far as cigarettes I think the Government already takes enough tax so there shouldn’t be an increase anyway.

“We’ve got one car between us but we just potter about so we’re not going to benefit much by fuel not going up later in the year. What I think is dangerous is the law changing so pensioners can access their annuities with 55 per cent tax charge abolished and tax applied at the marginal rate.

“I’m worried people will be silly and be tempted to take all their money out at once and live the high life then have nothing left to live off. My husband will be happy about the annual savings limit for ISAs going up to £15,240.”

Mrs Armstrong, who volunteers at drop-in centres and used to help at one in St Mary’s in Barkerend until the roof leaked and its was too dangerous for the soup kitchen to stay, said the Government’s plan to treble its £15m church repair roof fund would be “useful”, but she added: “It’s not going to have much of an effect on everyday folk is it?”

THE YOUNG COUPLE

Plumber Matthew Butler, 31, lives with his pregnant partner Zoe Douthwaite, 27, who is a teaching assistant and hopes to return to work after the baby. They live in a three-bed semi in Lynfield Drive, Heaton with their three dogs.

“It’s quite a limited Budget, no big surprises, no massive giveaways. I’d say it’s all pretty restricted. There’s not a massive amount that will affect the cost of living here in the North. All the transport investment seems to be in the South,” he said.

And added: “Bringing it closer to home, there is nothing that would support families in general, never mind new families. May be an attempt to support families is the fuel freeze in September and the minimum wage that will benefit Zoe who is on a lower income. The tax-free allowance going up slightly is an improvement. Every little helps.”

Neither of the couple smoke but a freeze in wine duty is a little bonus, said Mr Butler. He added: “I’m not bothered much about drinking but I do like a glass of wine so anything that affects the price of wine positively is welcome. It’s not being slashed but it’s welcome that it’s not going up. The changes with ISAs could be an advantage if people have got any extra money left over to put away and as far as the new help to buy ISA for first-time buyers goes, allowing the government to top up by £50 every £200 saved for a deposit, is concerned. We own our own house now but it would have been a really good incentive.”