Call on government to rule out cuts to tax credits

GMB is warning that some 3,277,300 in-work families who currently receive Child Tax Credits (CTC) and Working Tax Credits (WTC) face a potential threat of £40 per week on average being cut from their weekly incomes as part of the Government's proposed £12 billion welfare cuts.

These 3,277,300 families get an average of £121.80 per week or £6,335 per annum. Of the total some 1,665,600 in-work families are part time workers (16-34 hours). This is 50.8% of the total.

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said: "The question still has to be answered as to where the Tory Government’s proposed £12 billion welfare cuts will be made.

"Unless the Tories break their election pledges, and cut a number of other benefits they promised not to touch, cuts in tax credits for 3.3 million in-work families are in the firing line.

"A cut of £40 per week on average would have a devastating impact on the household incomes of 3.3 million families that go out to work. However, cuts of such severity would only go half way to the £12 billion proposed cuts.

"The quicker the Government rules out cuts to in- work tax credits the better it will be for these 3.3 million families.

"Unless they do so the claim that Tories represent working families will be a hollow sound bite."