Articles and Speeches

Child Tax Discredit
02-Jun-06, Windsor Express Article.

Yet again we have seen the Government prove its ability to mismanage the Child Tax Credits system. Is it not fair to the general public that the Government learn by its mistakes.

More families received tax credit over-payments for the 2004/05 financial year than the previous year. That means 1.96 million claims were overpaid, placing further pressures on families – by their very nature – which need a little extra help each month.

The Government will not force people to give back the money if the over-payment was the Government’s fault. However, adding further insult to injury, if the Government believe a claimant should have known they were being overpaid, the money has to be returned.

Despite Government reassurances that new measures to reduce the number of overpayments will make a difference, these measures did not take effect until 6th April 2006.

Annoyed? Well I’m not surprised. I continue to respond to many residents who are so tired with this system and deeply regret that they were tempted by the tax credit in the first place.

It is disappointing that the Government, who have promised time and again to fix this, have fallen short. Ultimately, it is residents who suffer.