Rochdale paying above average in child and working tax credit

There are 19,400 workers in Rochdale who receive child and working tax credits.

These workers are 21.7% of those of working age in employment who live in the town. They received an average payment of £3,904 a year.

This makes Rochdale one of the top North West local authorities for the percentage of workers who receive child and working tax credit. Rochdale is sixth out 23 North West authorities, with Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Oldham, Knowsley and Bolton above the town.

The North West region has 583,600 employees receiving child and working tax credits (19.2%).

For the UK as a whole there are 4,713,400 workers who receive child and working tax credits. This is 16.8% of all those of working age and in employment. The average payment was £3,201 per annum and the total paid out was £14,585 million.

Paul Kenny, GMB Union General Secretary, speaking at the GMB congress in Blackpool said: “In an ideal world these benefits would not be needed. But one in five working families need over £3,000 to top up meagre pay packets to properly support their children.

"Tax credit support is crucial and GMB will not stand idly by and let any party cut the incomes of nearly 5 million of the poorest working families in our country.

"The Conservative and Liberal Democrats must scrap their plans to top slice tax credits and all parties must keep their promises to retain tax credits. We will write to every candidate to ensure they support the commitments of the main party leaders to retain tax credits.”

Kate Green, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Tax credits are essential to family security. It’s wrong that subprime jobs without decent hours and pay leave so many families supported by tax credits, but the answer is better pay, not scrapping support. We should be taking families away from tax credits by making sure employers pay fair wages, not taking tax credits away from families when they are essential.”