Almost half of those surveyed by Bristol academics said increases were ‘necessary’ to improve public services

Voters have broadly accepted that the £40bn in tax rises in Rachel Reeves’s first budget are “necessary” to improve public services, despite the majority expecting to be worse off as a result, according toresearch.

The chancellor announced in October a package of tax increases in order to fund investment in public services, particularly the NHS and schools – with the largest revenue-raiser a £25bn increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs).