Voters broadly accept Reeves’s £40bn of tax rises, research shows

Almost half of those surveyed by Bristol academics said increases were necessary' to improve public services

Voters have broadly accepted that the 40bn in tax rises in Rachel Reeves's first budget are necessary" to improve public services, despite the majority expecting to be worse off as a result, according toresearch.

The chancellor announced in October a package of tax increases in order to fund investment in public services, particularly the NHS and schools - with the largest revenue-raiser a 25bn increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs).