Widows (Taxation) Mr. Lofthouse asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many widows receiving less than £40 per week have been brought into the tax bracket since May 1979. Mr. Ridley It is estimated that there will be about 35,000 more widows with incomes below £40 per week paying tax in 1982–83 than there were in 1979–80 paying tax with incomes below the equivalent level in real terms (of £28·25 per week).