'Little here to help people return to work'

That was the response today from the Blackpool-headquartered Federation of Small Businesses chairman Mike Cherry.

He said: “This Budget will help many small firms with their final push through to September, but there is little here to aid job creation or help people return to work.

"Ensuring the newly self-employed can now access support marks a big step forward – we’re pleased our campaign has been heard – but directors, who appear to have been left out yet again, will be incredibly disappointed.

“Thousands of small businesses are on the brink of collapse and thousands more are suffering from low confidence as cash reserves dwindle. They will welcome both the extension of flagship support schemes that have kept them going over the hardest year they have ever faced, as well as confirmation of new support measures around taxation, employment and cash grants."

Mr Cherry added: "While the furlough extension is much-needed, small employers are still struggling due to high national insurance contributions and the removal of the job retention bonus.

"The Government should look again at these areas. Fundamentally, there was very little in the statement on job creation and reducing the cost of employment."