Press Release

Over 5 Million UK Workers Receive Child Tax Credit/ Working Tax Credits

There are 5,093,500 workers in the UK who receive Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits.  That is 17.8% of the total workforce of 28.6millionemployed and self-employed in the UK today.

This new analysis was published by GMB today at the TUC Congress in Brighton where GMB delegate Rachelle Wilkins a food worker from Grimsby called on Gordon Brown, who speaks today, to bring in an amnesty on the recovery of overpayments on the grounds that it is causing financial hardship to vulnerable families. Rachelle herself had been wrongly adjudged to have been overpaid. The Inland Revenue had clawed back £1,800 before they admitted their error and repaid her the money.

Regionally, the South East has the highest number of workers who receive Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits, with 878,500.  Second highest is the North West with 583,600 workers receiving Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits.  Third is the West Midlands with 478,400 and fourth is Yorkshire and Humberside with 477,100.  See Table 1 below for all regional figures.

Kent has the highest number of workers receiving Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits, with 112,100.  Second highest is Lancashire with 111,130 workers receiving Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits.  Third is Essex with 105,200 and fourth is Hampshire with 102,800.  (see Table 2 for the top 10 areas in the UK.)

The figures for received Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits for all regions in the UK are shown here. 

Table 1

In-work families with CTC and WTC awards in each local authority

rank	region	persons in award
	United Kingdom	5,093,500
1	South East	878,500
2	North West	583,600
3	West Midlands	478,400
4	Yorkshire & The Humber	477,100
5	Scotland	463,200
6	London	443,800
7	South West	440,200
8	East Midlands	398,700
9	Northern	300,300
10	Wales	273,900
11	East Anglia	189,300
12	Northern Ireland	159,200

Rachelle Wilkins, GMB delegate to TUC Congress said:  "GMB Congress in June welcomed the support that the tax credit system has provided to Britain's lower paid families. There have been widespread reports about the problems administering the scheme.

Now, GMB at TUC Congress in Brighton are calling on Gordon Brown to bring in an amnesty to end the clawing back of overpayments because this is causing financial hardship to vulnerable families.

This is a very real a very live issue in working class communities and urgent action is needed to sort out the administrative problems. A amnesty would be a good start."

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