GORDON Brown unveiled his eighth Budget - but what does it mean for York residents? Lucy Stephens and Dan Jones asked all sections of society what they thought of the Chancellor's cash plans.

The student: Chris Jones, 21, is University of York Students' Union president after graduating last year.

He shares a university-owned Fulford flat, earns £10,000 a year and has student debts totalling £12,000.

Originally from Suffolk, he's planning to take next year off to spend time playing music.

Chris says: "I live a frugal lifestyle - I don't drink or smoke and I'm in favour of seeing increased taxation on cigarettes and alcohol. The increase should have been far larger and OAPs should have got more.

"Also, people in higher tax brackets should pay more to cover university fees, although as the economy is relatively strong more people are sliding into higher tax brackets."

The single parent: Tracey Ellis, 34, of Rowntree Avenue, York, has two sons, Robin, ten, and J, 3. She works part-time in a city centre shoe shop.

Tracey earns £4.75 an hour. She currently gets £82 a week working tax credit, of which she pays £68 a week in child care. She also gets £110 a month in childcare benefits.

Tracey says: "I must admit I've always admired the Government for child benefits - you've got no excuse for not buying your child's clothes.

"But I can't believe the Inland Revenue is going to shed 14,000 jobs when it already takes months and months to sort out family tax credit applications. It's just stupid."

She added: "When Labour gets re-elected taxes will probably go up."

The pensioner: Jack Archer, of Lindsey Avenue, Acomb, is a member of the York Old People's Forum and chairman of Older Citizens' Advocacy York.

Former York Carriageworks employee Jack, 84, gets about £130 a week in state and work pensions. His wife, Ena, is now in a care home.

Jack says: "I welcome the extra £100 for over-70s. It looks straightforward with no strings attached, although I'd still like to see the small print." He said the payment would dampen some council tax rebellions among the elderly.

"I just hope the fact they are making a lot of staff redundant at the Department of Work and Pensions means there's enough left to work out the complicated pension credit payments."

The small business: Johnny Hayes, 50, runs Pextons hardware shop, Bishopthorpe Road, with wife Frankie. He took over five years ago and says trade has improved year on year.

The booming business expanded three years ago and Pextons now covers two linked shops.

Johnny, who pays about £7,000 a year in council tax, says: "I never really expected anything from the Budget but relatively speaking it's fairly positive. I can't see anything that's a major concern.

"It would have been nice if the Government gave specific help to encourage small businesses. It seems to me that bigger firms, pro rata, do quite well out things like rates and if I had Mr Brown's ear that's something I'd point out."

The family: Carl Bolton, 35 and partner Natalie Kidd, 20, have three children: Daniel, three, Sophiemarie, two, and Ethan, one.

Carl, who lives at the family home in Thief Lane, York, will soon start work as a rides operator at Flamingo Lane. He will earn about £200 a week and estimates he will receive about £3,000 a year in family tax credit. Natalie is a full-time mum.

Natalie says: "I would have liked to have seen a bit more to help young families, but I agree with the extra spending on primary schools. That's very important to me.

"I also support the extra money for health and pensioners."

Updated: 12:15 Thursday, March 18, 2004