'I'm a single mum and business owner from Birmingham & this is how Jeremy Hunt's tax plans affect me'

A single mum and business owner says she will benefit from tax cuts but says the government need to "walk their talk".

Lydia Mujuru, 50, said the abolishment of the "class 2" national insurance for self-employed announced by Jeremy Hunt will help her. The mum-of-two is having to "sacrifice luxuries" to plough money into her imaging diagnostic company and support her children.

Lydia, from Birmingham said: "I will benefit from this. My concern is working in healthcare the cut in national insurance will mean less goes to the NHS. Where is the money coming from?

"I'm living but I'm not comfortable. We are suffering. They need to walk their talk."

In the Autumn budget the chancellor announced the abolishment of the "class 2" National Insurance - which will save the average self-employed person £192 a year. He also said the main employee National Insurance rate will be cut by percentage points - to 10 per cent - and is increasing minimum wage to £11.44 per hour in April.

Lydia said: "Increasing minimum wage puts a pressure on small business. I appreciate people have to be paid. There needs to be more support to business. They need to do more."

Lydia said she has been cutting back on "luxuries" which help her mental health in order to keep her business going and support her family.

She said: "I'm in that middle band. I'm not out of the woods, I'm going without luxuries. I used to go on holiday twice a year, and go for lunch, buy a lot of clothes.

"I was in that position."