HC Deb 26 April 1999 vol 330 cc58-9W
Mr. MacShane

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the weekly family disposable income, after tax, national insurance, child benefit and maintenance payments are taken into account of (i) a lone parent with two children under 11 in receipt of maintenance payments of £40 a week, (ii) a lone parent with two children under 11 not in receipt of maintenance payments, (iii) a single-earner married couple with two children under 11 and (iv) a two earner married couple with two children under 11 earning in each case(a) £150 a week and (b) £250 a week and where the incomes of the two-earner couple are split in the ratio 80:20. [81726]

Dawn Primarolo

The available information, which shows weekly disposable (net) income after tax (including Child Benefit and Working Families Tax Credit), National Insurance Contributions and maintenance payments at the specified levels of earnings, is given in the table. The figures are shown for 1999–2000 and take account of all changes announced in the 1998 and 1999 Budgets which come into force in 1999–2000.

From October 1999 the WFTC will provide help with child care costs. The child care tax credit will be worth 70 per cent. of eligible child care costs, subject to maximum child care costs of £100 a week for families with one child and £150 a week for families with two or more children. To ensure that parents with older and disabled children also benefit, the age limits on children for whom parents can claim help with child care costs will be raised to 14, and for disabled children up to age 16.

£ per week
Gross income Net income
Lone Parent with 2 children under 11 in receipt of £40 pw maintenance payments 150.00 276.77
250.00 306.92
Lone Parent with 2 children under 11 not in receipt of maintenance payments 150.00 236.77
250.00 266.92
Single Earner Married Couple with 2 children under 11 150.00 236.77
250.00 266.92
Two Earner Married Couple with 2 children under 11 (income split 80:20) 150.00 241.22
250.00 274.34

Notes:

  1. 1. Income tax payments are calculated on the basis that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and have income only from employment. All earners, including wives, are assumed to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.
  2. 2. Child Benefit is treated as negative income tax.
  3. 3. WFTC calculations assume no child care costs.
  4. 4. Lone parents are assumed to be new claimants after April 1998.