“While we will study the implications of the British government’s budget on spending in the north, on cursory examination it would seem that there is little relief for those on benefits and low pay. While the reduction from 50% to 45% in the highest tax rate will benefit those in the top wage brackets to the tune of thousands of pounds the minimal increase in personal allowances will have little measurable benefit to those at the very bottom of the scale – about £4 per week.” Murphy continued, “What little benefit this measure will deliver will be more than wiped out by increases in fuel duty which will inevitably be passed on to consumers through higher goods prices.