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Dept of Social Security

Answer

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the distribution of changes in net incomes from a £5 increase in Child Benefit by (a) gross income bands, (b) equivalised gross income bands and (c) equivalised net income bands of recipient families using each band of £5,000 (i) up to £40,000 and (ii) over £40,000; and if he will make a statement. [140864] Angela Eagle: It is not possible to provide the information requested as a wide range of assumptions would have to be made. We are committed to eradicating child poverty in 20 years and halving it in 10. To this end, we have already taken wide-ranging action, including measures to improve family incomes and help parents into work. Significant rises in Child Benefit now mean that £15 a week is paid for the eldest child (up by 26 per cent. in real terms since 1997) and £10 a week for all other children. The introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit alongside the National Minimum Wage guarantees families with children with one person in full-time work, a minimum income of £208 per week (from October 2000), which rises to £214 from April 2001.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

357 c851W; 140864

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Children Child benefit Income Poverty Recipients Social security benefits

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk