Budget 2015: 300,000 people plead with George Osborne not to cut tax credits
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Version 0 of 1. Around 300,000 people have signed a petition asking the Chancellor not to cut tax credits in his upcoming budget. Campaigners say the expected cuts, which were all-but confirmed by David Cameron after the election, would have a hugely damaging impact on the lives of low-income families. “All children deserve to start life on an equal footing. But low wages can put barriers in the way of a happy and healthy childhood. That’s why some of the poorest families get help to pay for essentials, like healthy food and school uniforms,” the petition’s authors wrote. “This support means thousands of children don’t have to experience poverty at the start of their lives.” Many of those signing the petition said they would be directly affected by the cuts themselves, set to be announced in Wednesday’s Budget. “As a mum of four children under 11 years old and being a self-employed child-minder on less than the minimum wage, tax credits enable me to provide healthy meals and school dinners for my children. If we lose it we will struggle to feed our children,” said Rebecca one of the petition’s signatories. Another, Amy, commented: “I am a single mum with a five year old son, I work part time and could not survive without my tax credits.” Others wrote messages saying they worked multiple jobs and were struggling to survive despite tax credits. “I work two jobs and still struggle to feed my daughter. If they cut working tax credits i don’t know how i will cope,” said Louise. The petition was curated on the website of the campaign group 38 Degrees, who plan to hand it directly to the Chancellor on Tuesday with a group of people who would be affected by the cuts. The Government’s poverty advisors, the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, said more than seven million children would be hit by proposed cuts to tax credits. The Commission is coincidentally soon to drop the “Child Poverty” element from its name as part of the Government’s redefinition of deprivation. Iain Duncan Smith announced last week that legally binding targets to end child poverty would be scrapped and the metric changed to one that paid no regard to actual incomes. In May this year the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said that reducing tax credits to 2003-3 levels would put 300,000 more children into poverty. The Conservatives did not confirm that they would cut tax credits before the election. In June, just over a month after the formation of the new government, David Cameron however described the benefits as a “merry-go-round”. |