30/01/2004

Government hails Child Tax Credit figures

The government has hailed its Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit after official figures revealed that six million families had taken up the scheme in the 10 months since their introduction.

Today's figures show that over 300,000 families received help with childcare costs, 120,000 more than benefited under the old tax credits, the government said.

Families with an income up to £58,000 are eligible for tax credits, but low and middle-income families make up the majority of claimants.

Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo said: "New tax credits represent the biggest single change in the way government provides financial support for families since the Beveridge reforms of the 1940s.

"Today's figures show the success of the new system with so many families reached in such a short time."

Chancellor Gordon Brown announced that from April, more than seven million children will receive an extra £180 a year under the Child Tax Credit.

(gmcg)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

11 August 2003
Inland Revenue highlights tax credits uptake
Of the six million families expected to benefit from the Child and Working Tax Credits, more than 5.7 million families are doing so already, according to the Inland Revenue (IR). Over 250,000 more tax credit awards were put in place over the last four weeks alone, the IR said.
22 May 2013
Tax Credit Fraud Target Off By £5bn
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will miss its 2015 target of cutting tax credit fraud by £5bn, a report by the Public Accounts Committee has said. HMRC was challenged by the government in 2010 to cut tax credit fraud by £8bn by 2015, but it is now predicted to only reduce it by £3bn.
07 September 2011
Childcare Costs Force Poor Out Of Work
Families on low-incomes across the UK are having to turn down jobs or are considering leaving work because they can't afford to pay for childcare. New research from Save the Children and Daycare Trust also found that parents, regardless of income, say that they can't afford not to work, but struggle to pay for childcare.
30 May 2014
More Fall Into Debt Following HMRC Overpayments
The number of issues reported to Citizens Advice of people falling into debt as a result of repaying overpaid tax credits increased by 14 per cent in the 2013/14 tax year. Tax Credit debts arise when HMRC over-estimates a person’s entitlement to financial support and ends up having to recoup overpayments.
18 March 2004
Chancellor’s film relief rules broadly welcomed
Chancellor Gordon Brown’s decision to offset the closing of a tax loophole widely used by filmmakers with extended tax relief has been generally well received by industry bodies.