Thousands of families in Deeside face being hit by cuts to working tax credits

• The changes to the tax credit system will cost the average Deeside family £1300
• Petition Launched by Deeside politicians

Around 5200 families in the Alyn and Deeside constituency alone will be hit – Plaid Cymru has said the Chancellor’s trickery on tax credits is beginning to unravel as senior Conservative politicians begin to realise the damaging implications of the cuts, they have once again called on George Osborne to abandon the policy.

Alyn and Deeside politicians, Mark Tami MP and Carl Sargeant AM, have also spoken out against changes to the tax credit system, they feel that the changes will have a real impact on the living standards of many families in the community.

Mark Tami Alyn and Deeside MP said,

“I am strongly opposed to the changes that the Government are implementing to the tax credit system. They will hurt working families on low incomes and the so-called Living Wage will only compensate those people in work by up to 26%.”

The changes will impact on three million families across the UK and in Alyn and Deeside it is estimated that around 5,200 families with children will be affected. The average family will be £1,300 worse off.

Under Chancellor George Osborne’s plans, the earnings level above which tax credits are withdrawn will be lowered from £6,420 to £3,850 The changes come into effect at the end of the year.

Ministers say the changes will save the Government £4.4bn and will be offset by the new National Living Wage and higher tax thresholds.

Carl Sargeant Alyn and Deeside AM said:

“Tax Credits are designed to make sure work pays. By cutting them the Conservative UK Government is penalising those who work hard day after day just to get by.

“The Government is not just giving with one hand and taking away with another, it is leaving thousands of my hard-working constituents worse off. That’s why I’m asking residents to join me in sending a clear message to the Tories that these cuts to working people’s living standards are unacceptable.”

The policy to cut tax credits was announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s recent Budget, it was approved by Parliament in September by 35 votes – despite opposition from Labour, Lib Dem, SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned it is “arithmetically impossible” for nobody to lose out under the changes.

Plaid Cymru’s Treasury spokesperson Jonathan Edwards MP said:

“As Plaid Cymru warned in the aftermath of the emergency budget, cuts to tax credits will leave some of the poorest working households worse off, and will have a direct impact on spending in local economies. This is a position also supported by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

“With around 120,000 families in Wales dependent on working tax credits to make ends meet, the Conservative party’s plans will have a disproportionate impact in our communities where wages are generally lower.

A petition has been launched by both Mark and Carl, they are encouraging people to join the campaign against the changes by signing the petition at labour.org.uk/taxcredits or writing to 70 High Street, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire CH5 4DD for a paper copy.

Main image: cityam