HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc475-6W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many childcare tax credit payments have been made in respect of children aged(a) under one, two, three and four years, (b) five, six, seven and eight years and (c) who are eight years old in the latest period for which figures are available.[185701]

Dawn Primarolo

The following table shows the number of families benefiting from the childcare element of Working Tax Credit at 5 April 2004, with an estimated analysis by the ages of the children for whom eligible childcare costs were incurred:

Ages of children for whom eligible childcare costs incurred, 5 April 2004
Age combination of children for whom eligible children costs incurred Number of families benefiting from the childcare element of Working Tax Credit1 (Thousand)
All aged under five 170
Aged under five, and five to eight 20
Other with aged under five 10
Aged five to eight only 50
Aged five to eight, and older 20
Aged over eight only 50
Total 320
1Those claiming the childcare element, and with Child Tax Credit above the family element. Rounded to the nearest 10,000.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total expenditure on the childcare tax credit in 2003–04; how many recipients there were of childcare tax credit in that year; what the average payment was; and in respect of how many children payments were made. [185709]

Dawn Primarolo

For the level of child care support provided through the child care element of working tax credit, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 27 April 2004,Official Report, column 866W.

The number of families benefiting from this element, and the average help with child care costs, appear in the various issues of "Child and Working Tax Credits. Quarterly Statistics", which can be found on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/ personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

It is estimated that these families incurred eligible child care costs for an average of 1.3 children.