Ahead of her budget yesterday, charities and community organisations had one simple ask for chancellor Rachel Reeves: Do not place further pressure on an already stretched voluntary sector. Reeves' last autumn budget left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Her decision to increase the employers' national insurance contribution (NIC) rate from 13.8% to 15% and reduce the secondary threshold from £9,100 to £5,000 has placed significant pressure on charity employers.

With a sector facing "a perfect storm" of reduced funding, increasing costs and skyrocketing demand, many waited for Reeves' budget with bated breath.