Union in appeal over tax credits

A UNION has called for political leaders to retain tax credits after revealing that 20,500 families in Oldham rely on them to bring up their children.

The figure puts Oldham third in the North-West league of workers receiving child and working tax credits, says the GMB.

It equates to 23 per cent of all those of working age and in employment in the borough receiving on average of £4,021 a year.

The league table, revealed at the 2009 GMB Congress at Blackpool, showed Blackburn with Darwen at the top with 25.5 per cent of workers (14,800 families) receiving the benefit, followed by Blackpool with 24.3 per cent (13,700).

In the region as a whole there are 583,600 workers receiving child and working tax credits, or 19.2 per cent, with average payments of £3,398 a year.

Across the country there were 4,713,400 workers (16.8 per cent) receiving the credit.

GMB says tax credit support is crucial and it will not stand idly by and let any party cut the incomes of nearly five million of the poorest working families in the country.

It’s urging the Conservatives and Lib Dems to scrap plans to top slice tax credits and will write to every candidate to ensure they support the commitments of the main party leaders to retain tax credits.

Regional secretary Paul McCarthy said: “In an ideal world these benefits would not be needed. But one in five working families need over £3,000 to top up meagre pay packets to properly support their children.”

Kate Green, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Tax credits are essential to family security. It’s wrong that sub-prime jobs without decent hours and pay leave so many families supported by tax credits, but the answer is better pay, not scrapping support.”