Let’s look behind the headlines, avoid the spin, and separate the fact from the fiction of this week’s budget
budget
The NHS, councils, care and other public services need help and tax cuts won’t deliver it
![Christina McAnea on a picket line in Sheffield, with ambulance strikers, addressing the media](https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2023/01/Christina-McAnea-on-a-Sheffield-picket-235x130.jpg)
Today’s budget found the cash to offer tax cuts to big businesses and the highest earners – but nothing for public service pay, again
Chancellor can find the money when it suits him
![Unison General Secretary, Christina McAnea, visits picket lines at Ambulance stations across Yorkshire, in support of striking Ambulance and support crews. Photo shows the Longley Ambulance Station, Sheffield.](https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2023/01/SJF_NHS_Strike_027-235x130.jpg)
We’ll be watching closely, and we’ll be ready to take action if the chancellor fails to fix the crisis in pay packets and public services
![Jeremy Hunt](https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2023/03/Official_portrait_of_Rt_Hon_Jeremy_Hunt_MP_crop_1-235x130.jpg)
But new UNISON research shows that public service workers are overwhelmingly pessimistic about chancellor Jeremy Hunt doing the right thing next week
Teetering public services deserve much better
Rescuing economy and public services should go hand in hand
Golden opportunity wasted to reward NHS staff
![Chancellor Rishi Sunak with the red Budget box](https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2021/02/Sunak-Budget-235x130.jpg)
General secretary to call for an end to the pay freeze, real living wage for care workers and proper investment in local government