When the Chancellor ends his speech tomorrow we will all know how much more - or less - we will be paying to run the country.

One man with his finger on the pulse of the local business economy is Matt Coward director of tax at the Brighton office of chartered accountants BDO Stoy Hayward.

Matt Coward has been looking at ways Gordon Brown, one of the longest-serving Chancellors since the Second World War, will be collecting and distributing the nation's taxes in his sixth Budget.

Mr Coward said: "Three strands have come together in advance of this year's Budget. Firstly, public finances are in reasonable shape but the forecasts from some experts indicate there will be a gap in spending from next year onwards of about £5 billion a year.

"Secondly, economic growth has slowed and that is starting to feed through in lower than expected tax revenues, particularly corporation tax. The third strand is that the Government has concluded the best way to fund public services, particularly the NHS, is through taxation.

"I think we will see a tax-raising budget for public services but with specific measures to help innovative and entrepreneurial businesses in Sussex."

Mr Coward said he expected to see some measures that would please the business sector but it should not expect a give-away Budget.

"I expect to see tax breaks for company sales to other companies of substantial shareholdings that will encourage acquisitive businesses. There will be further measures to encourage research and development. They won't go as far as many businesses would wish but there will be breaks for businesses of all sizes.

"The Treasury has estimated that will cost it between £150 and £500 million. So it won't be all bad news for businesses."

Mr Coward also predicts measures to help disadvantaged areas, of which there are 15 in Sussex; two in Arun; ten in Hastings and three in Brighton and Hove. They are already exempt from stamp duty on property sales.

He said: "Stamp duty exemptions on properties below £150,000 is likely to be extended in the Budget. There is also expected to be further encouragement for people setting up businesses in those areas where the economy is not doing so well."

As far as duty on alcohol, cigarettes and petrol goes, Mr Coward expects little change, largely due to the big difference on duty charged in Europe.

"It's easy for people in this region to go to France for cigarettes and alcohol. Gordon Brown won't want to make smuggling any more attractive."

For the individual tax payer he expects little or no change to the basic or upper rate.

"In the context of an overall tax-raising budget, there are three areas the Chancellor is likely to explore: National Insurance contributions, VAT and stamp duty.

"There are likely to be increases for employees' and employers' NI contributions but the Chancellor will try to show that any increase will go towards the National Health Service.

"He will say there is large support and acceptance of a publicly-funded health service.

"The second area will be VAT, which is relatively low by continental standards and is a tax where a small increase in rate yields a lot of money for the Government. Half a per cent rise in the rate of VAT raises about £1.7 billion.

"The third area will be stamp duty. Under this Government, it has increased to four per cent for transactions of more than £500,000. All property is subject to stamp duty. It is an easy tax to collect, difficult to avoid and it is a good revenue raiser, bringing in about £8 billion.

"Gordon Brown has rarely sprung surprises on businesses as Chancellor and I wouldn't expect him to do so tomorrow; so while tax increases are firmly on the agenda, there will be a few sweeteners to make the medicine go down."