Mortgage, bills and food costs are all rising. We can't afford income tax going up

Gurpreet Virdee feels she and her family are constantly treading water as they work hard and battle to make their finances work in the face of ever-rising costs.

With the Budget on the horizon , she tells The i Paper that she does not feel any hope that it will bring welcome news for middle-income families like hers – but fears it will instead squeeze them even harder.

“We are in that middle bracket where we are not eligible for benefits – but despite working hard, we are not well off and every penny counts as everything has become so expensive,” she said.

“It is incredibly tough and I know there are so many other families in similar situations. For us, all the Budget holds is a concern as we know it will ultimately lead to us being asked to pay even more,” she added.

Gurpreet