Allison is mum to 10-year-old Jonathan. They live in Telford near Shropshire.

She had never taken any state benefits until Jonathan was born with autism. He was born the day Tony Blair came to power on 2 May 1997.

"I'm completely discouraged by the whole process," she said.

"I had heard that there was going to be some help for carers in the budget, but there was nothing.

"If you are a carer you are already under huge pressure and need some relief.

"There should be more funding to help. Where has all the money gone? I need help to provide care for the rest of my son's life. I don't think anyone is delighted with this Budget. I feel cheated."

David is a 44-year-old medical instrument technician from Withernsea, near Hull. He has five children between the ages of 3 and 17 and has been married three times.

He wanted Gordon Brown to come up with some more family friendly policies. So was he pleased with the Budget?

"For people like me he hasn't really done anything. Next year I will be �5 a week better off as a result of the cut in income tax, but it's all talk.

"Taking 2p off income tax sounds good, but at the end of the day Gordon Brown isn't giving anything away, poorer people are still going to be worse off.

"I would also have liked Mr Brown to have done more for married couples and pensioners."

Jill is a 61-year-old pensioner from Dorking in Surrey. She volunteers for the Citizens Advice Bureau and speaks to a lot of other pensioners about the financial difficulties they face.

She believes that many pensioners suffer great hardship, with some so concerned about fuel bills they do not even turn the heating on when it is cold.

"I'm pleased the chancellor is going to something to help those people who have lost their pensions, but I would have liked him to increase the state pension for all," she said.

"I'm happy that there's going to be extra help for pensioners with heating and insulation allowances.

"However, I am still concerned that while the announcements seem helpful on paper, will they actually turn out to help people in reality?"

Georgina is a 63-year-old communications officer from Guildford in Surrey. She and her husband are retiring next year, and are concerned that their income will drop dramatically.

"I think he is trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes.

"I'm happy about the changes to inheritance taxes, but when they come into effect in three years time house prices will have probably increased too.

"I really don't feel that this Budget has made any difference to me at all, and I think that when people get down to the nitty-gritty they will see that they are not better off."

Andy is a 34-year-old sales manager from Worksop. He is married but has no children. Both he and his wife work and would have liked to see Gordon Brown make an announcement to help married couples.

"All he seems to have done is a lot of tinkering. What he has given with one hand he has taken away with the other.

"I worry about low income families with this Budget. If they are going to be paying more tax, where is the incentive for them to work?

"I will be �77 a year better off, but as a motorist it's not all good news. The government sees motorists as easy targets. Drivers will be forced to pay more for petrol as often there is no alternative to driving."

April is 45 years old and lives in Stockport. She is disabled and lives with her husband. She receives incapacity benefit and a disability living allowance, and was looking to see some improvement in these benefits announced in the Budget.

"He did nothing for the disabled at all. I wanted to see him announce some sort of increase in the benefits given to disabled people to help them get back to work, but there was nothing.

"The situation might even be worse as there is now going to be a greater tax on large cars and I need a larger car to carry my electric wheelchair, so we are going to be penalised on that.

"I feel that he is just trying to win some votes here, but he hasn't helped the disabled and he hasn't helped carers either so he won't win votes there."