§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason working tax credit payments are taken into account in assessment of maintenance payments in respect of non-resident parents; and if he will make a statement. [160841]
§ Mr. PondThe amount a non-resident parent pays to support his child should reflect his income whether or not that income includes working tax credit.
In the new scheme working tax credit is taken into account as income for the non-resident parent's maintenance calculation. This carries forward the arrangements in the old scheme which also treated family credit (and then tax credits) as income.