David Cameron has put tax breaks for married couples back on the coalition government’s agenda as he and Chancellor George Osborne attempt to reduce the fallout over the recent plans to cut middle class child benefit payments.
The BBC quotes Mr. Cameron as saying that he has “always supported the idea of supporting marriage through the tax system, specifically supporting the idea of a transferable tax allowance,” and he suggested that new measures would be introduced within the life of the current parliament.
In his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference earlier this week, Chancellor George Osborne announced that from 2013 child benefit payments would be no longer be available to higher rate taxpayers from 2013, a move that would save the state One billion pounds a year.
From 2013 child benefits will be removed when one household partner earns more than £42,000 per annum. Critics, including fellow Conservatives, have argued that this will unfairly hit families with only one bread winner, especially as, households where both parents are earning just under the threshold will still be entitled to child benefits.
