§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to maximise the take-up of Working Families Tax Credit and Childcare Tax Credit; and if he will make a statement. [133149]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe Inland Revenue has been running a major campaign to publicise the Working Families Tax Credit since September 1999. There have been two waves of concentrated promotional activity so far. The first ran for some eleven weeks. Television and press advertisements were supported by posters and leaflets in Job Centres and Post Offices, and Treasury Ministers led a series of roadshows that took place throughout the United Kingdom. This was followed by a second wave of television advertising in April 2000. Planning for a third wave of publicity is underway.
All advertising has been backed up by a 24-hour freephone response line. Between waves of publicity, WFTC information has been available from a range of sources—including Post Offices, Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres, and the Tax Credit Office helplines in Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Childcare Tax Credit is publicised as a key component of the Working Families Tax Credit.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families(a) nationally and (b) in Enfield were claiming (i) Working Families Tax Credit and (ii) the Childcare Tax Credit at the last date for which figures are available. [133148]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe number of families in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) at the end of May 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,056,000. It is878W estimated that 3,100 of these were in the Enfield local authority, although this is based on a 5 per cent. sample of awards and is subject to sampling error.
Nationally, it is estimated that about 110,000 awards current at the end of May 2000 included the Childcare Tax Credit within WFTC. There are too few such awards to families in Enfield falling into the sample to provide a reliable estimate for Enfield.
§ Ms KeebleTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Northampton, North have received the Childcare Tax Credit. [133136]
§ Dawn PrimaroloNationally, it is estimated that about 10 per cent. of awards of the Working Families Tax Credit include the Childcare Tax Credit. There are too few awards falling into the 5 per cent. sample used for these analyses to provide a reliable estimate for Northampton, North.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families were eligible for Family Credit in the year immediately preceding its replacement by Working Families Tax Credit; and how many families received it. [132699]
§ Angela EagleI have been asked to reply.
Estimates of numbers entitled to Family Credit in 1998–99 will not be published until the autumn.
Information on the number of families receiving Family Credit each year is contained in Table 10 of the Social Security Departmental Report (CM 4614), a copy of which is available in the Library.