What Hampshire residents can expect ahead of the autumn budget

Estate agent Simon Brooks, 57, said he expected the government to “tax more than it has previously proposed” and that “the situation will get worse before it gets better”.

He explained that he doesn’t mind paying taxes, but that “what worries me is the sneaky taxes I don’t know about.”

He said he was concerned about employer national insurance contributions because he believed “everything is at the bottom and eventually it gets to all of us”.

Mr Brooks said he had already seen a “huge difference” in his industry and had noticed “a decline in activity and investigations”.

He added: “Things are tough out there” and “the whole country is on edge” awaiting the budget.

He said: “I am concerned about the state of the housing market and confidence in it.

“I’m hoping the budget will announce some information and maybe some tax cuts.”

He added that he wanted to see “further reductions in stamp duty for first-time buyers”.

He believes this will “activate the bottom of the market where there is a lot of uncertainty”

“Stamp duty is a large sum of money on top of the deposit for most first-time buyers,” he added.