THE Chancellor called it the "progressive" Budget. But what did Sun readers think?

We asked people from different walks of life across the country for their views of the measures and to give the Budget an "emergency" rating from one to five.

From families affected by child benefit freezes to a businessman backing the VAT rise, everyone realised times are about to get tougher.

But our panel unanimously agreed that George Osborne was right to tackle the huge debts left by Labour NOW.

Here is what they said...

Single mum

YVETTE Brown, 38, of Doncaster, South Yorks, is mum to Lewis, 14, Rebekah, 12, Ross, eight, and Emily-Kate, five, and is a part-time charity family support worker.

Yvette said: "It's good I can earn an extra £1,000 a year without more taxes.

"It's a good idea to ask lone parents to look for work once their children are at school.

"I was on benefits but feel much better now I'm working.

"The child benefit freeze isn't great but my child tax credits will rise.

"The Government must tackle our debts."

Pain rating (out of five): 1

Pensioner

RETIRED clerical worker Tom McLeod, 89, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, gets a state pension and pension credits.

Tom said: "I think things will work out more or less the same for me.

"Pensions are now linked to earnings, which is good, but I think the days of big pay rises are over.

"The 20 per cent VAT will affect everyone. But I should weather the storm. It seems a pretty reasonable budget. Everyone has to play a part in tackling our debt."

Rating: 3

Family

HANDYMAN Peter Jay, 50, lives in Daventry, Northants, with wife Nancy, 48, a full-time mum to Michael, 16, Emily, 14 and Hannah, 11. Michael and Hannah have special needs and get Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Peter said: "The three-year freeze in child benefits will affect us but our child tax credit should rise £150 for each child, so that will even out.

"Child tax credits for those earning more than £40,000 should be cut back gradually, not just axed.

"I'm not sure medical assessments for DLA is a good idea as I fear these will cost more than they save. But the Coalition must tackle benefit cheats."

Rating: 3

Businessman

CHARLIE MULLINS, 56, boss of Pimlico Plumbers in central London, said: "The VAT rise was a no-brainer. Like everyone, I'd always rather keep more cash but the decision isn't that simple. It's about staying in business or going out of business - so I'm 100 per cent behind the VAT rise.

"The next five or six years will be hard graft for all of us, make no mistake, but my overiding feeling is that the strategy isn't just to cut things and put up tax.

"There seems to be a desire to pull everyone possible back into the economy, and that's got to be the answer."

Rating: 2

Teacher

AS a public sector worker, teacher Stan Smith, of Salford, Gtr Manchester, gets a two-year pay freeze.

Stan, 50, said: "We have benefited from prosperous times so we have to take some responsibility in harder times.

"Investigating the pensions doesn't strike me as unfair. We do not have a divine right for our pensions to continue rising when the rest of the country is suffering.

"Teachers earn a good wage of around £30,000 a year so won't be on the breadline."

Rating: 4

Trucker

BUSINESS development manager Andrew Long, 43, of Kings Heavy Haulage in Bristol, says: "Fuel tax has been too high for too long so freezing it is very welcome.

"But I'd like to see the Government go further and help us with fuel tax rebates and on road tax. European companies don't have to pay road tax and they're competing with us for the same business. We are a small to medium business and want to be able to keep local people employed."

Rating: 1

Pub owner

GERONIMO Inns founder Rupert Clevely, 53, said: "It's the first time in many years and many Budgets that tax has not been raised on alcohol and it's great news.

"It's good for the pub industry and everyone who ever enjoys a pint or a meal out.

"Of course, what they giveth with one hand they taketh away with another. So VAT is set to rise but that wasn't a surprise. And at least they've given us six months to get our houses in order. It brings us into line with the rest of Europe.

"Whatever else happens you can go to the pub and chew the fat."

Rating: 2