Frank Field's proposals for 'tweaking' tax credits cut

Mersey_2

BBC Daily Politics just had Tory MP Stephen McPartland on, arguing against the cuts to Tax Credits.


It was refreshing that he knew the detail in terms of thresholds and tapers and the impact on eg a teaching asst on £11k pa and that she wouldn't be helped by increasing the personal allowance to £12k and free childcare for 3-4 year olds don't help these without.


Also nice to hear a genuine Scouse accent, as opposed to what Esther McVey had haha

bloolagoon

I suspect the timing of last nights family who have a wage of circa £80k in benefits for working part time, avoiding tax on tips, breeding dogs as income, smoking, overseas holidays and £1300 on a birthday for a child may help the Tory in this issue.

Mersey_2

Oh, 90% of Tory MPs and 80% of the public support "welfare cuts"


It's when you get into the detail and the impact on individual families/voters that MPs soon get hit with a touch of reality.


I'm still pretty sure the changes will go through, but perhaps only 60% sure now.


A dozen Tory MPs with concerns with a majority of 12 and a further vote possible will give DC a headache. Only 2 voted against at the last vote and the majority was 35 as it wasn't thought to be close.


GO has a month until the Autumn Statement to think of amendments to the proposed April implementation, after speaking to Frank Field, Stephen McPartland et al.

MABLE

bloolagoon wrote: »

I suspect the timing of last nights family who have a wage of circa £80k in benefits for working part time, avoiding tax on tips, breeding dogs as income, smoking, overseas holidays and £1300 on a birthday for a child may help the Tory in this issue.

These people are in the minority but unfortunately these are the ones we remember.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

I recently halved my hours. The tax credits I receive more than make up the loss of wages. Where is the incentive for me to go back to full time hours. Happy days

Becles

NYGiants wrote: »

Do you really need an incentive to work and provide for your family?

Things like wanting to provide for your family should come as second nature; maybe you weren't cut out for having children..

What a horrible thing to say

I already work full time with Crohn's Disease and I'm doing as much as I can for my family.

I meant that people who work should be better off overall than the people who decide not to work and play the system. Cutting workers benefits just gives those looking for excuses not to work more excuses not to work.

beecher2

Becles wrote: »

What a horrible thing to say

I already work full time with Crohn's Disease and I'm doing as much as I can for my family.

I meant that people who work should be better off overall than the people who decide not to work and play the system. Cutting workers benefits just gives those looking for excuses not to work more excuses not to work.

I suppose you could also say that people who work full time should be taking home more than people who work part time too, but that isn't always the case. The tax credits system gives a lot of people the excuse not to work more hours, which I know causes resentment in some work places.

Pedent

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

I recently halved my hours. The tax credits I receive more than make up the loss of wages. Where is the incentive for me to go back to full time hours. Happy days

How is that possible? If your income has fallen, but your circumstances have otherwise stayed the same, then your tax credits should go up by at most 41% of the fall. What else has changed to explain the increase?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Pedent wrote: »

How is that possible? If your income has fallen, but your circumstances have otherwise stayed the same, then your tax credits should go up by at most 41% of the fall. What else has changed to explain the increase?

Tax and national insurance contributions reduced, pension contribution reduced. Due to not working a full week petrol consumption reduced.

FBaby

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

I recently halved my hours. The tax credits I receive more than make up the loss of wages. Where is the incentive for me to go back to full time hours. Happy days

Please let it be that you are joking! Is it a case of dealing days after days with people who have it good mean that even those with decent jobs starts to get affected and envious of the lifestyle.

It should be the other way around