YESTERDAY was the day you personally felt the pain of the dire state of the country’s economics.

Everyone knew Britain was in a bad way and that cuts were coming.

Yet, as the figures were so huge and the public sector touted as the main target for cuts, there was still a lack of personal feeling about it for many families and households.

There are no two ways about it. George Osborne had to act and act decisively.

But the rise in VAT to 20 per cent and the change in areas of child-related payments will hurt many working parents.

They are the ones who feel less secure in their jobs than two years ago but are still working hard to provide for their families. Yet they wake up this morning asking why they should be losing so much of their spending power because of an economic situation they had no part in creating.

A hike from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent VAT is significant and, under an albeit temporary measure, less than a year ago that rate was 15 per cent – so in just a few months VAT has risen by a third.

Much of what Mr Osborne has prescribed is necessary for our sick economy but it will be of little comfort as families digest the bitter-tasting medicine this morning.