Rachel Reeves’s first budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer focused heavily on raising taxes to fund the NHS, given the challenges of long waiting lists and an ageing population.

Other sectors, such as social care, universities, and housing, expressed disappointment over missed opportunities.

Social care received a £600m funding boost, which the Local Government Association admitted was insufficient to meet all pressures, and no wider reform was announced.

Critics, including the Health Foundation, were disappointed with the lack of broader social care reforms.

Labour MPs and campaigners criticized the budget for not addressing the two-child benefit limit, a significant factor in child poverty.

The SNP and various political figures urged actions to tackle child poverty and reverse other welfare cuts.

Mental health charities like Mind found the budget lacking in initiatives to prevent mental health crises, seeking better funding allocations in alignment with the scale of the issue.

Universities were spared tuition fee hikes for now, but concerns mount over their financial viability amid rising costs.

Before the budget, reforms seemed imminent, but they remain unaddressed.

Charities and think tanks criticized the decision to keep local housing allowance frozen, challenging renters already struggling with escalating rent prices.

The Women's Budget Group highlighted the disproportionate impact on women's incomes, emphasizing increased gender disparities in housing affordability.