Like Coun Ian Gillies I also fear for the city’s hidden poor.

I worry about families struggling to pay their rent, even when in employment, due to the city’s high housing costs compared to its average wage levels.

Poor housing and poorly heated homes can lead to health problems. The same is true of not having the money to afford a balanced diet, a predicament for many individuals and families today.

I also fear the creeping privatisation of the NHS will make accessing and receiving care more difficult when needed.

Those residents in the city receiving benefits are being put in an increasingly difficult position – working family credit, child tax credit, child benefit, pension credits, personal independence payment, housing benefit are being frozen or cut in real terms. Many of these people in work, are striving to get on, but need a little extra help to get by.

Make no mistake, these people have to cut back to balance their household budgets. They have no choice. Most are in work so the Chancellor’s attempt to characterise them as lazy is plain wrong, and adds nothing to the debate of how people can avoid falling into poverty.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Deputy leader of City of York Council.