‘The more you earn, the less you keep’: readers react to the budget

Readers described how the government’s budget measures could affect their finances, with some welcoming help for first-time buyers while others said housing and business costs remain difficult. Their accounts highlight concerns that rising living costs and tax thresholds can leave people with little extra money, even when they earn more.

Louie, a 24-year-old chef earning £37,000 to £40,000, said rent and bills take about half his income, limiting his ability to save despite the proposed 2.5% deposit scheme. Business owner Graham Robinson, who earned £126,000 last year, said increased household and employment costs are squeezing his finances; he also cited the effective 60% tax rate affecting income between £100,000 and £125,140. The supplied article text ends part-way through another reader’s account.