The changes the government are forcing through will affect three million working families in the UK and in Swindon alone, around 11,300 working families will be affected. Instead of helping working people, the Tories are pushing through changes which will hit working families in the wallet.
Information obtained from the HMRC shows that there are 11,300 working families in Swindon in danger of facing tax credit cuts from the government. In North Swindon there are 5,800 families claiming tax credits and in South Swindon there are 5,500 families claiming tax credits.
Figures also show that there are 19,700 children in working families facing tax credits cuts in Swindon.
The Conservative government’s tax credit cuts will leave working families in receipt of tax credits £1,300 a year worse off.
The Swindon Labour Group Leader, Councillor Jim Grant, has called on Swindon’s two Conservative MPs to lobby the Treasury to ensure working Swindon families in receipt of tax credits do not lose out.
The Labour Group Leader said: “The changes the government are forcing through will affect three million working families in the UK and in Swindon alone, around 11,300 working families will be affected. Instead of helping working people, the Tories are pushing through changes which will hit working families in the wallet.
Tax Credits are designed to ensure that work pays. Cutting them undermines the value of work, and means penalising those who work hard day after day just to get by.
The Tories have not planned any help to protect affected families. There are nearly 20,000 children in Swindon who are members of working families that will be left out of pocket, and there is a real risk those children will suffer directly as a result of these changes.
I am calling on Swindon’s two Tory MPs to lobby the government to reverse these cuts to working families in Swindon and ensure we keep the principle that it always pays to work”.