'Anything else is pointless': YEP readers have their say about what they want to see in the Budget
Yorkshire Evening Post readers have their say about what they would like to see in the Budget this week
With the Chancellor preparing to set out the nation’s financial plans, we asked our readers what they want to see and what they think should be top of the priority list.
We invited readers on Facebook to share their thoughts and to tell us what they would like to see from the Chancellor John Healey as he prepares to deliver his first Budget this week
From easing the pressure on family finances to investing in local services and creating opportunities for the next generation, we wanted to hear what really matters to the people who live here in Leeds.
And here’s what our readers had to say:
Chris Head said: “Fuel duty cut. Wealth tax. And end to offshore tax avoidance. Energy company windfall taxes.”
Neil Buckley said he wanted to see some “common sense related to what makes business work”.
Meanwhile Bethany Austin said that supporting the housing market should be a key priority.
She said: “Something to help the housing market......when housing market on its backside so is everything else.”
Meanwhile Dee Athey said: “Doesn't matter what we would like to see it will just be done.”
Mags Hartley warned: “Help business so they can set more young people on and Saturday jobs too.”
Thomas Briggs wasn't convinced and said: “The date of the next general election.”
But it seems that tax and wages were a key feature that people would like to see in the Budget.
Daniel Ian Topham said: “Paying less tax for those on low incomes.”
David Driver added: “Nothing apart from the Personal Tax Allowance raised helping working people and pensioners. Anything else is just pointless.”
John McEntee said: “Cutting VAT on fuel to help everybody out and also a cut in VAT by at least half in hospitality so we are level with the supermarkets.”
Anne McCaffery added: “Taxing the rich proportionately. Looking at their assets in the UK and taxing them on their way out of the country.”
And Peter Cresswell said: “MP’s salaries cut to minimum wage, then they may start taking seriously living costs the public are facing.”
Meanwhile the Government announced at the weekend the Budget will provide more than £1 billion for social and affordable housing and give England’s mayors and regional leaders greater powers and funding.
The money will take funding for the 10-year social and affordable homes programme to more than £40 billion.
Councils will also be helped to borrow money from the Government to invest in housebuilding by extending the offer of preferential interest rates.