New budget brings worry and disappointment on Black Country high street
The news from Westminster of increased energy bills, high inflation and a tax hike has been met with disappointment and worry by shoppers and shop owners on a Black Country high street.
The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced tens of billions in tax rises and spending cuts as part of the Autumn Statement with the UK in recession.
He announced a freeze on income tax thresholds, meaning millions of people will pay more in tax as their wages rise, but said his plan would help rebuild the economy and reduce debt.
Other measures announced included help with energy bills being cut back, with typical bills rising from £2,500 a year to £3,000 from April, extra payments for people on means-tested and disability benefits and an in-line-with-inflation rise for the state pension, benefits and tax credits.
The National Living Wage will also increase from £9.50 an hour for over-23s to £10.42 from April.
The effects of the new budget was being taken in by people out shopping or running businesses in Wednesfield, with shops like Alan Warwick Butchers and Juicy Fruits feeling the pinch from increased electric bills.
Lisa Warwick, who works as a shop assistant at Alan Warwick Butchers, said the minimum wage rise was a good one for staff, but the 44-year-old said help with the electricity bills would be good as well.
She said: "The minimum wage rise is a good thing to go with inflation as it means more money for me, but I still need to look at what the rest of the budget will do for me and for the shop.
"We've had to turn off some of our freezers and fridges due to the electricity bills and I hope that the budget can help us a bit more with payment for the bills, but I do agree that paying more tax is always unfair."
Down the street at Juicy Fruit greengrocers, owner Max McEvoy said he was very worried about the future and the budget didn't seem to have offered any help for him.
He said: "Like every other business owner, it's just more and more bad news and doesn't seem to stop, with a particular lowlight for me being the rise in minimum wage as it will eat into my profits with an additional £300 per month.
"The high street has been suffering enough with electric bills going up and us tightening our belts as much as we can and I think the Government should have attacked the energy companies more, rather than agreeing to pay those exorbitant bills."
On the high street, both Wendy Lewis from Ashmore Park and Heather Duncan from Wednesfield felt more could have been done with the budget for ordinary people.
The 53-year-old Wendy said: "I think it's a load of rubbish, some of the stuff that's come out of it, and while the Chancellor has helped with benefits, I think he could have done so much more to help people."
The 58-year-old Heather said: "I'm really not happy about it as I'm on a minimum wage and it's just going to make my life harder as I'm on a lower income, but will pay more tax as I earn more."
