The Labour Party in Stone says over 4,000 families in the town will be hit by the Government’s plans to cut tax credits from April 2016.
The constituency party – which says membership has doubled since the last General Election – has started a campaign against the cuts and will be collecting signatures at Stone farmers’ market in the High Street on Saturday 7th November.
[box type=”shadow” align=”aligncenter” ]Stone Labour Party campaigns officer Catherine Gregory said: “Three million families will be affected by this cut which will leave working people £1,300 worse off. In Stone alone around 4,200 families will be hit. The Government should not be targeting families who work hard day after day just to get by. We need to balance the books but the way to do that isn’t to hit the wallets of working families.”[/box]
Chancellor George Osborne’s reform of working tax credit and child tax credits has come in for widespread criticism, with some Conservatives even expressing concern about the plans, which come into force in April 2016.
The Government wants to reduce the welfare bill and says its increase in the minimum wage to a National Living Wage, a rise in the threshold for income tax to £11,000 and its promise of additional free childcare will compensate for the tax credit cuts.
But independent analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests families with someone in paid work will lose out by an average of £550 a year after all the changes to taxes, credits and benefits are factored in. And think tank Resolution Foundation says working mothers will be hardest hit.
There’s some really good inforgraphics on The Independent’s website that explain the tax credits system and the planned changes.
Will you see your income reduced by the tax credits cut? Leave a comment here (scroll to the bottom of the page) or email news@alittlebitofstone.com
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Bill Lockwood, chair of the local party, said: “We welcome all our new members and supporters to attend our monthly meetings and get involved in lively debates and local campaigning. It is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, take part in discussions and listen to visiting speakers.”
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]The party meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm at St Dominic’s Community Hall in Station Road. For further information contact Cathy Gregory on 07933 201876 or Bill Lockwood on 07944 167349[/box]
