'I studied to be an NHS midwife but £60k debt and no jobs made me quit'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing more difficult choices in the Spending Review on Wednesday.

She will set the budgets for all government departments over the next few years.

The review will confirm how much taxpayers' money will be spent on the NHS, defence, police, education and other public services used by millions, as well as how much money the government plans to invest in projects like new public transport.

As she makes her final preparations, people living in Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire outlined what they think her priority should be.

Melissa Marley, 32, has spent the last two years studying at the University of Huddersfield to become a midwife but has quit her course after amassing debt of £60,000 and said there was "no hope for jobs at the end of it".

The mother-of-three would like the chancellor to put more money into the NHS because it is "on its knees" and added "people abroad would kill for a system like that, so it needs protecting".

Originally from Wakefield, she went back into education in 2021 to provide a better life for her children.

She began training as a nurse in 2022 before training as a midwife in 2023.

As well as £20,000 of tuition fees, she also owes about £40,000 in her maintenance grant accrued through her studies over the past few years.

She was originally going to defer due to health issues but decided to stop her course and is now hoping to become a maternity support worker.

This role supports midwives, rather than being a midwife herself.

Melissa said the lack of jobs in midwifery was "sad because there are so many people putting so much work in.

"They are working hard, having to miss times with their family, their children and then to have nothing at the end of it is sad".

Pensioner John Addison agreed that a big part of the Spending Review had to be more funding for the NHS .

He said that it was "hard work getting appointments".

Mr Addison expressed his concern about spending on defence - and how more money was needed for that.

He explained that he worried about the future for his grandchildren and younger people growing up in a less stable world.

He said that the Army had "been run down lately so we need to up it a bit because you never know what is around the corner with what's going off in the world."

Earlier this month, a British defence review published recommendations which welcomed the government's ambition to spend 3% of Gross Domestic Product by 2034 but warned "as we live in more turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster."

Several Nato allies have already committed to spending more than 5%.

Bill and Pauline Wardlaw would like to see funds focused on the education system and investing in the future.

Bill was particularly concerned about problems with school buildings.

He said they were in "a terrible state" which meant "children are going to school in inadequate buildings and a lot of money should be spent getting them up to a decent standard".

Pauline agreed with her husband but would also money spent on ensuring infrastructure around new housing estates is in place.

She said when new housing is built "they need to make sure there is provision for the people that they are going to put in those houses - like doctors, education, schools etc because it is just not there".

Ms Wardlaw was also frustrated with trying to get a GP appointment: "It's three weeks before you can see a doctor unless you ring up at 08:00 and then you are in a queue."

Beth Flannagan-Jones was out with her 16 month old daughter Maeve.

She wanted to see more cash targeted at activities and support groups for mothers and babies.

She said toddler groups could help mums who felt "alone".

Ms Flannagan-Jones said there were "a couple of options but many of them are private and you have to pay for them".

"If you have not got a lot of money and are on a budget I think a few more council groups and mum groups are missing," she added.

Pensioner David Lumb acknowledged the cuts to winter fuel allowance had been damaging to Labour party as some older people relied on the payment.

He backed a more targeted approach to the benefit - which seemed to chime with the chancellor.

She announced on Monday changes to the level the benefit would be paid at, meaning 75% of pensioners would now be eligible.

His biggest priority was the NHS citing "the way the nation relied" on the service during the pandemic.

However, Mr Lumb said he would also like to see more investment in green initiatives, but when it comes to home insulation he said it depended on "how efficiently it is done".

"Quite often the government sponsor these things and they aren't properly monitored," he added.

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