To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child tax credit recipients have made an application for reassessment; and of that number how many were on the basis of (a) the award being an overpayment and (b) the award being an underpayment. [122699]
Awards of child and working tax credits are adjusted if claimants report a change in the circumstances on which the award is based. Claimants may also ask for their award to be adjusted to reflect their expected income for the current tax year.The tax credits award for 2003–04 is initially based on the family's income for the tax year 2001–02. The final tax credits award will be based on 2003–04 income if it is lower, or more than £2,500 higher, than 2001–02 income. Even if income does rise, the first £2,500 of the rise is ignored in finalising the award. To allow awards to be adjusted to reflect current income, claimants can ask during the year for their tax credits to be based on their expected 2003–04 income, which is checked against actual income after the year end.Table 6.1 of "Child and Tax Credits Quarterly Statistics. July 2003" shows the number of families with awards who have asked for their awards to be adjusted to reflect their expected 2003–04 income. This publication is available on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/ menu.htm.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people who are eligible for each of the new tax credits have yet to apply; and how many (a) applications have been received and (b) eligible people there are in (i) the Teesside region and (ii) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. [128670]
In total, 6 million families are expected to receive new tax credits. Already, after just 5 months, over 5.8 million families are benefiting, which is over 95 per cent. of those expected to be reached over the entire year.The available estimates of the number of families in each local authority and constituency receiving child and working tax credit appear in "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses. July 2003". This is on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandreveneue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.Estimates of the numbers of people expected to receive new tax credits are not available below the regional level.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are in receipt of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit, in each London constituency; how many claims are outstanding; and if he will make a statement. [128758]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families in Eltham have benefited from the child tax credit; and what the overall amount paid out through the credit to families in Eltham was in the last 12 months; [129430](2) what the average gain of families in Eltham has been from the child tax credit; [129431](3) how many families he estimates will benefit from the working tax credit in Eltham; and what will be the average gain per family
(a) in the UK and (b) in Eltham. [129433]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency are in receipt of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit; and how many claims are outstanding. [129215]
The available estimates of the number of families in each local authority and constituency receiving child and working tax credit appear in "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses. July 2003". This is on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandreveneue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.Any claims outstanding are ones where the Revenue is awaiting for further information, or are being verified. There is no breakdown of such claims by constituency.Statistics on average awards will be published after the end of the tax year, when awards have been finalised.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage families to claim (a) the working tax credit and (b) the child tax credit. [129434]
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 604W, regarding child tax credit. Since that date further publicity has included television, press, radio and online advertising as well as direct mail.