26,800 Children In Wandsworth Could Be Hit By Tax Credit Cuts
Assembly Member Fiona Twycross says 13,900 families may be affected
Up to 26,800 children in Wandsworth could be directly affected by Government plans to cut tax credits, London Assembly Member Fiona Twycross has said. The attack on child tax credit forms part of plans to cut £12bn from the welfare budget. In total, the cuts could hit the incomes of 13,900 families in receipt of tax credits in Wandsworth, the vast majority of whom are in work. Fiona Twycross said by targeting working families it was clear the Chancellor is “intent on targeting the poorest in our community and making their life even more difficult.”
Research from Barnardo’s found that more than 7.5 million children (50 per cent) in Britain rely on tax credits, with many of these in ‘in-work’ families. In Wandsworth alone there are 13,900 families with children relying on tax credit income top-ups to make ends meet. Of these 13,900 families the vast majority, 66%, are working families who could now see a significant reduction in their income.
London Assembly Member Fiona Twycross said:
“These savage cuts to tax credits will be a massive worry for the thousands of families in Wandsworth who are affected. Clearly the Chancellor is intent on targeting the poorest in our community and making their life even more difficult.
“Yes we have to balance the books but we shouldn’t be putting people in a position where they have to choose between feeding their children and paying their electricity bill. The Government should be focusing on tackling the causes of poverty, such as London’s high housing costs, instead of taking away support from those already struggling to make ends meet.”
Borough |
Number of families in receipt of tax credits |
% of families in receipt of tax credits that are working |
Number of children in households in recipient of tax credits |
Camden |
10,600 |
59% |
21,200 |
City of London |
- |
|
- |
Hackney |
21,600 |
65% |
45,400 |
Hammersmith and Fulham |
8,700 |
60% |
16,500 |
Haringey |
20,000 |
72% |
38,500 |
Islington |
12,800 |
56% |
23,900 |
Kensington and Chelsea |
4,900 |
61% |
8,900 |
Lambeth |
21,400 |
64% |
39,000 |
Lewisham |
22,600 |
64% |
41,500 |
Newham |
30,600 |
74% |
62,400 |
Southwark |
21,200 |
62% |
39,300 |
Tower Hamlets |
22,100 |
59% |
48,900 |
Wandsworth |
13,900 |
66% |
26,800 |
Westminster |
9,600 |
54% |
18,500 |
Barking and Dagenham |
20,600 |
64% |
41,100 |
Barnet |
20,500 |
73% |
39,800 |
Bexley |
13,700 |
66% |
26,100 |
Brent |
24,800 |
73% |
49,500 |
Bromley |
14,900 |
68% |
26,900 |
Croydon |
27,300 |
68% |
51,000 |
Ealing |
23,600 |
72% |
46,400 |
Enfield |
27,700 |
65% |
53,400 |
Greenwich |
19,500 |
64% |
37,600 |
Harrow |
13,800 |
76% |
28,000 |
Havering |
13,500 |
68% |
25,400 |
Hillingdon |
17,900 |
69% |
35,600 |
Hounslow |
17,300 |
72% |
33,900 |
Kingston upon Thames |
6,600 |
73% |
12,300 |
Merton |
11,700 |
75% |
21,900 |
Redbridge |
19,200 |
74% |
39,000 |
Richmond upon Thames |
5,400 |
70% |
9,400 |
Sutton |
10,600 |
72% |
19,400 |
Waltham Forest |
21,800 |
72% |
42,300 |
Latest data from HMIC on tax credit claimants
July 16, 2015
Related links
|
