Working Families Tax Credit

HC Deb 11 April 2000 vol 348 cc136-7W

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for which(a) benefits and (b) services a successful claim for Working Families Tax Credit is a passport. [117620]

Mr. Timms

The major central Government passports for many Working Families Tax Credit recipients are help with NHS costs such as prescription charges, dental treatment, sight tests and hearing aids and Social Fund payments to help with maternity costs or funeral expenses.

Mr. Denzil Davies

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer in a full year of the Working Families Tax Credit. [117838]

Mr. Timms

The projection for 2000–01 is £4.8 billion. This takes into account (a) the increase in the child tax credit in awards made from June 2000, and (b) the introduction of the disabled child tax credit in awards made from October 2000.

Mr. Kemp

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Houghton and Washington, East receive the Working Families Tax Credit; and what has been the expenditure on working families tax credit for that area since it was introduced. [117976]

Mr. Timms

It is estimated that 2,200 families in Houghton and Washington, East were awarded the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) by the end of February 2000. There is insufficient data available to provide a reliable estimate of the total expenditure on these awards.