Overseas aid tops the public's chops list

In a massive poll of over 28,000 people on this site, almost half voted it as their top chop to help cut the £156 billion budget deficit.

However, they agree with the coalition's decision to protect health spending as it came top in the poll of what to protect. Chancellor George Osborne will reveal a raft of cuts in tomorrow's emergency Budget. In two surveys, we asked in what areas people wanted cuts, and want they wanted to protect.

Here are the results:

Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert.com creator, says: "It seems that a huge chunk of the UK public follow the 'charity begins at home' philosophy when it comes to public spending.

"This perhaps signifies a division between the political classes and the person at home. It's stunning that the area of spending the Government has chosen to make watertight is the one most people would choose to cut."The areas of biggest division, though, seem to be defence and social protection, which both featured prominently in the list of what people would like to cut, and what they'd like to save."

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