Budget 2006: How Does It Affect You?

Gordon Brown has delivered his 10th budget as Chancellor - but how was it for you? HDF's political correspondant Jimminy Muffdive looked at a range of households from across the country, to assess how this year's budget would affect them.

Low Income Family - The Slaggs.

Alan Slagg, his wife Keith and their children Chardonnay and Bacardi reside in East London and live on £70 a week from Alan's job fencing car stereos down the pub, and a further £230 he claims illegally from the social. A new tax on TWOCed stereos will hit their income hard says Alan, but Keith is happier. The price of her Temazzies has been frozen for the third year running!

As for the Slagg children, Brown has announced government subsidies for low income families on items such as massive Lizzie Duke hoop earrings, fake trackies off the market and those trainers with the springy bits on the bottom. All this will mean big savings for the family, but 7 year-old Bacardi will suffer price rises on her cigarettes and alcopops. Tax on her crack is reduced to 2002 levels however.

Is Alan happy with the changes? 'I won't have to put the wife on the game just yet' he laughs!

Single Man - Jed Mildew.

38 year-old Jed Mildew lives alone in a Harrogate bedsit. He is unemployed and a virgin. He's 'delighted' to see that the government has announced tax breaks on hardcore Japanese animated porn videos, but less happy to find that Smiths albums are to rise by 6p.

The main difference to Mr Mildew's lifestyle will come as part of a new government initiative which promises incentives for anyone spending more than 8 hours a day in acts of flagrant self abuse followed sharply by feelings of self-loathing, guilt and the urge to 'end it all'.

What will Jed spend the extra money on? 'More Star Wars figures. And maybe a new mac to go skulking round the park at night in. Watch out kids!' he grins.

Comedy Scottish Family - The McJobbies.

It may be good news this side of Hadrian's Wall, but in the land of the Scot things are different. We met haggis-factory worker Pa McJobbie, his wife Ma and their young son Rab in their Glasgow council house where they laid out their grievences.

Traditional Scottish products such as kilts, haggis and fifes are all under threat as Brown seeks to close a legal loophole which saw manufacturers enjoying lucrative tax breaks for many years. 'Aye, it's costing muckle bawbies doon at the factory' Pa told us glumly. 'They've telt us redundancies'll be forthcoming. Hoots mon!'

Things look grim for young Rab too, as tax on heroin and deep-fried Mars bars is going up, although he can now enjoy subsidised Supergran DVDs and Oor Wullie comics. 'Jings! That's awfay generous!' he says.