1. Disabled people on Disability Living Allowance will face humiliating tests with the aim of cutting their benefits
2. Raising VAT to 20% will add £425 a year to average family spending.  The increase in tax allowances is worth £170 – unless you are in the poorest three million households when you get nothing but still pay the VAT hike.  Cameron said on 1 April ’Our plans don’t involve an increase in VAT’.  Clegg said on 8 April ‘Our plans do not require a rise in VAT.’
3. Public sector pay freeze.  Low paid workers in the NHS, schools and other public services will see their pay cut by at least 6% over the next two years, as pay is frozen and inflation rises by 3% a year.  ‘Protecting’ the lowest paid means little more than a 1% increase for those on less than 21k – a real terms cut of 4%.
4. Households on more than 40k will lose their tax credits.  Exactly the middle income families the Tories denied they would attack a few weeks ago.
5. Child benefit will be frozen for three years – a cut of up to 10% on one of the most vital methods of supporting families and children.

As an attack of low and middle income families this budget goes beyond what Thatcher and Major did in the last Tory Government. I wonder if the Tories remember their 2008 poster?

The only surprise is the cowardly and greedy way the Liberals have backed them. Especially after this campaign they launched only a few weeks ago here in Scotland…

Filed under: Budget, Five Reasons by admin