BUDGET: Sheffield reacts to extra schools funding, National Insurance rise and more

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced his first spring budget on Wednesday

Families, pensioners, education chiefs and pub landlords in Sheffield have given a mixed reaction to a budget which contained few surprises.

An increase in National Insurance contributions for self-employed workers, £2 billion extra funding for adult social care and new 'T-levels' for students gaining technical skills were among the headline announcements as Chancellor Philip Hammond unveiled his first spring budget on Wednesday (March 8).

FAMILIES

Becky Stevenson with husband Ben and daughter Summer, aged one

Becky Stevenson, who lives in Loxley with husband Ben and their daughter Summer, aged one, welcomed the rise in the tax-free personal allowance to £11,500 this year and £12,500 by 2021. She described the extra money as a 'helpful buffer' for many low-income families.

But the 35-year-old, whose husband works as a facilities assistant at the University of Sheffield, criticised the decision to freeze child benefit, which she said would affect many families struggling to pay rising food and energy bills.

Becky, who took voluntary redundancy from her job at the University of Sheffield before having Summer, also questioned the impact of the £5m announced to help those returning to work after a career break. She said such a sum was likely to support only a 'small number of people'.

As for the £536m announced for new free schools and maintenance of existing schools across the country, she said although she is happy with schools near her that money could help improve provision in other parts of the city where she said many parents had been left disappointed after not getting into their preferred schools.

Pub manager Nathan Hehir is pleased alcohol duty will stay the same

"The Government should also look at what can be done for teachers to make it a less pressurised profession so fewer members of staff leave, which affects the quality of education," she said.

PENSIONERS

Tony Maltby, chairman of Sheffield Pensioners Action Group (SPAG), said a £3,000 cut in the tax-free dividend allowance from April 2018 would affect few people and those it did impact would have financial advisors to help them 'circumvent' the cost.

He described the extra £2bn for adult social care over the next three years as a 'drop in the ocean', which he felt would do little to affect the national 'crisis'.

Pub punters Karl Lyons and Dave Barton say they don't drink enough to notice any changes in pint prices

He said it was important that money went to improve front-line services, especially when it came to supporting elderly patients to get out of hospital more quickly and back into their own homes.

SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS

Self-employed PR consultant Adelle Draper, who lives in Chancet Wood, was unhappy about the one per cent rise in National Insurance Contributions for self-employed workers from April 2018.

"If it is only around 60p a week then it won't affect me too much. It's only around £30 extra a year, so I can't really complain," said the 30-year-old.

"It does anger me though because it feels like the Government come down on the little guy at the bottom and let the huge corporations get away."

But she welcomed the £690 million announced to tackle congestion on roads and public transport, which she said might benefit her husband Steve Hampshire, who often faces heavy traffic on his commute to Tinsley.

PUBS

There were no nasty surprises for drinkers and smokers in the budget, with alcohol and tobacco duty remaining unchanged.

And there was some relief for pub managers, with Mr Hammond announcing a one-year £1,000 business rates discount for pubs with a rateable value of up to £100,000.