Mother-of-three Mandy Banfield, 46, was relatively impressed but disappointed income tax remains high.
The part-time key worker from Milton Keynes says she and husband Joseph – a 40% taxpayer with two cars – have been hit hard by the higher cost of living.
She said: “Fuel duty is a big one for us as we both use our cars a lot, so it is a relief the Chancellor has decided to hold that steady.
“Alcohol duty won’t really make much difference to us financially but it’s nice to have a drink once in a while, there’s a bit of a feelgood factor there. An NI cut will mean more money in our monthly paypackets.
“Child allowance would make a massive difference with three young children, but my husband earns a bit too much for us to qualify for it even after the change.
“It will be really welcomed by families, especially those where just one parent is earning just enough to stop them receiving this much-needed help.
“We really would have liked a cut in income tax, either by reducing the rate or raising the thresholds.
“Has the Chancellor done enough to guarantee my vote? I’d say the jury’s out.”
The change in the minimum wage coming next month is going to make the biggest difference
Retail consultant Katherine Seymour, 22, works at Bravissimo selling lingerie at their shop near Bath and is still living at home with her parents.
The politics graduate who left university last summer is looking forward to a rise in the minimum wage next month from £10.18 to £11.44.
She said: “I’m still living at home and work part time so that I can pursue other opportunities. I write a blog and have other ventures going on but as I finished Uni last year I’m still working out exactly what to do.
“The change in the minimum wage coming next month is going to make the biggest difference to me.
“The fact that I will be paid a bit more and have to pay less National Insurance is certainly helpful,
“When you’re not earning that much anything the chancellor can do to send you home with a bit more in your pay packet is a great idea.
“The freeze on alcohol duty helps a bit I suppose but is not exactly going to make a massive difference to me.”
Chloe Tear, 25, who is registered blind, is dismayed that the Budget had no reference to support for the disabled.
The senior content designer from Leeds, who receives the Personal Independence Payment, said: “Cutting National Insurance is good because it makes a big difference to those on the lowest pay.
“But I was really disappointed to see that disability wasn’t mentioned once. It affects one in four people in the UK and we know disabled people face significant extra costs and are most affected by the cost-of-living crisis. This lack of support is not surprising, but I did find it very disappointing.”
She added: “I don’t drink very much at all and I don’t smoke, so the freeze in alcohol duty, the rise in tobacco duty and tax
on vapes really doesn’t affect me.”
However, Chloe, who owns a car through the Motability scheme and has three named drivers who take her where she needs
to go, welcomed the freeze on fuel duty.
She said: “The car makes a huge difference to my life.”
