Paul Bowen, a pie seller from Chorley, Lancashire, and a former contestant on 'The Apprentice,' has voiced strong criticism of the recent budget, stating it has not provided the "breathing space" he had hoped for.

Bowen, who runs two shops, expressed disappointment on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain' that he does not qualify for the business rates relief announced in the budget. He noted that the relief is primarily aimed at single-site businesses, excluding multi-site operators like his.

He also highlighted the impact of the inflation-busting minimum wage increase, which he believes will add significant costs to his business. This comes on top of existing financial pressures from soaring energy bills and previous increases in national insurance contributions, which he said previously forced him to close one of his shops. "The national insurance is crippling me. The energy crisis is crippling me," Bowen stated. He anticipates an additional £700 per week due to the minimum wage hike and an estimated 10% increase in supplier costs, totaling an extra £4,000 a week he needs to find.

"I'm going to have to put my prices up, customers are going to get mad. I'm going to get less profit... Me as a family, as a director, I've got to take a 2 per cent cut," he added, questioning the budget's promise of relief.

The budget announced £100 of energy support for millions of households in council tax bands A to D, but this assistance does not extend to businesses. To fund business rates relief for high street firms, gambling taxes are set to increase. Officials stated that this measure would lift 70,000 businesses out of paying rates altogether.

In response to general business complaints about a lack of support, the Prime Minister, speaking during a visit, pointed to the 70,000 businesses benefiting from being lifted out of business rates and highlighted that the British economy is expected to grow more strongly than forecast. He also noted the UK's strong performance in deficit reduction, as reported by the International Monetary Fund, while acknowledging global economic difficulties. He expressed confidence in the economy's stability and future growth.

However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies criticized the budget, describing it as containing "a raft of fiddly measures but very little that will move the dial on growth."