Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Brian Jenkins (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 on behalf of the Treasury.

Fiscal Support (Families)

Question: I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. May I pass on to the Government the thanks of many of my constituents for the working families tax credit—as it says on the tin, "working families". He knows that one of the major problems that a family can face is unemployment. What more can he do to reduce the fear and possibility of families facing that hardship?

Answer: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Tax credits have played a crucial role, not least in protecting families from unemployment during the downturn, because access to the tax credit system has made reduced hours, instead of job losses, more feasible for people. For example, from April to October last year, 400,000 families whose incomes have fallen have had extra help, averaging £37 per week. Alongside that, of course, we have provided substantial additional resources to Jobcentre Plus, which is why, contrary to many expectations, the number of people in work has remained much more buoyant.

Secondary information