How the budget has split one Black Country town

On Thursday Chancellor John Healey set out the government's tax and spending plans in his Budget – the first since Andy Burnham became prime minister.

Among his announcements were a £100 "household energy payment" for 20 million households in England and import taxes removed from more than 100 food products.

But is there enough in the Budget to help towards day-to-day life in the Black Country? The BBC has spoken to people visiting a West Bromwich market to find out.

Dawn Ozer, from Halesowen, welcomed the £100 payment towards energy bills "because a lot of people are struggling in regards to payments for gas, electric, etc".

"Especially being a pensioner as well, it will help me, very much so," she said. "Every penny helps. It's a good announcement."

In another measure, standing charges – fixed daily fees customers pay regardless of usage – are to be removed from household gas bills in England, Scotland and Wales, with costs added to the unit rate instead.

Reacting to this, Ozer said: "Even better, because any help at the moment is better for anybody. I think we're all kind of struggling."

Meanwhile, despite the announcement that fuel duty would be frozen until July, Ozer said she still had to be "very careful how much I use my car because I think of the fuel cost" amid sharp rises in petrol and diesel costs.

But Maxine Whitter from Handsworth described the £100 payment as "the tip of the iceberg".

"Considering if people have gas and electric, it's going to be eaten up in one month anyway," she said.

"If you space it out through the winter, it's a little help. But it's [about] getting the utility companies on board."

Lee Smith, of West Bromwich, described the £100 energy bill payment as "nothing, nowhere near enough".

"Especially for the elderly, it's not going to be enough," he said.

"My mom works full time, I work as much as I can, but it's still hard. The bills are still coming in. The bills still have to be paid."

It was also announced that import taxes are to be removed on more than 100 food products, including gherkins and marmalade, as well as kerosene and fertilisers.

Responding to this, Smith asked: "But where are they going to take the money from?

"They're gonna have to pinch money off Peter to pay Paul. What do they do, take it off the NHS?"

But mother-of-two Donna, from Oldbury, said the tax measure on more than 100 food products "will help a lot".

"Everything's gone up, bills have gone up, skyrocketed. We're a working family and it is hard.

"We want to provide for the younger generation and you want them to have a good life and upbringing and give them luxuries, but you're having to minimise the luxuries because of the cost of living."

Responding to scrapping the standing charge and the £100 payment, Donna said: "That's good because it's giving something back."

The mother stated she had "got to keep my family warm".

"We work hard for what we earn. I work in care, my partner works in parcels and deliveries. It's all out out out - for us as working families, you have to budget."

Mohammed Fahum, 18, from Walsall, has two brothers who live at home and pointed out his parents were spending £200 a week plus on food.

Asked about the food product measure, he said "it definitely will help, 100%".

"Inflation's gone high, everything's gone more expensive. We do need some sort of reduction in price."

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