New figures show benefits of Working Families Tax Credit - Wilson

09 Jan 2001

New figures showing that over 100,000 Scottish families benefit from the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) were welcomed by Scotland Office Minister Brian Wilson today.

Commenting on the figures published by the Inland Revenue, Mr Wilson said:

"Today’s figures show that 108,300 families across Scotland were receiving Working Families Tax Credit in August 2000. This is compared to 81,900 who received the old Family Credit in August 1999. As well as benefiting more people than the Family Credit, WFTC makes a difference where it matters - in the wage packets of hard working Scottish families. On average families on WFTC receive £30 per week more than under the previous system.

"I am also pleased 67,900 lone parents were among those benefiting from WFTC, showing the Government’s ongoing commitment to help and support this sector of society. We are determined to give all those who want to work the opportunity to do so and WFTC helps to ensure that all parts of society reap the benefits of the strong economy this Government has put in place."

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. The Working Families Tax Credit is a tax credit payable to working families, depending on their circumstances. The Credit is administered by the Inland Revenue and paid through the pay packet.

2. The Credit can be paid to families - either couples or lone parents - who have one or more children; work at least 16 hours a week; are resident in the United Kingdom and entitled to work here and have savings of £8,000 or less.

3. More detailed statistical information, showing WFTC awards split by local authority and Parliamentary constituency, in Scotland is attached.

Contact: Rachel Gibbons 020 7270 6816

News Release:

Website: www.scottishsecretary.gov.uk

NUMBER OF WORKING FAMILY TAX CREDIT AWARDS BY LOCAL AUTHORITY. AUGUST 2000. SCOTLAND.

Aberdeen City 3,500

Aberdeenshire 3,100

Angus 2,100

Argyll and Bute 2,100

Clackmannanshire 900

Dumfries and Galloway 3,300

Dundee City 4,400

East Ayrshire 3,400

East Dunbartonshire 1,400

East Lothian 1,900

East Renfrewshire 1,100

Edinburgh, City of 6,400

Eilean Siar (Western Isles) 500

Falkirk 3,300

Fife 7,700

Glasgow, City of 14,300

Highland 4,900

Inverclyde 2,300

Midlothian 1,900

Moray 1,700

North Ayrshire 3,700

North Lanarkshire 6,900

Orkney Islands 400

Perth and Kinross 3,000

Renfrewshire 4,200

Scottish Borders, The 2,900

Shetland Islands 400

South Ayrshire 2,200

South Lanarkshire 6,600

Stirling 1,400

West Dunbartonshire 2,300

West Lothian 3,900

SCOTLAND 108,300

NUMBER OF WORKING FAMILY TAX CREDIT AWARDS BY PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY. AUGUST 2000. SCOTLAND.

Aberdeen Central 1,000

Aberdeen North 1,500

Aberdeen South 1,000

Airdrie and Shotts 1,500

Angus 1,400

Argyll and Bute 1,800

Ayr 1,300

Banff and Buchan 1,600

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 1,100

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 2,300

Central Fife 1,700

Clydebank and Milngavie 1,600

Clydesdale 1,700

Coatbridge and Chryston 1,500

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 1,100

Cunninghame North 1,600

Cunninghame South 2,100

Dumbarton 1,200

Dumfries 2,100

Dundee East 2,300

Dundee West 2,100

Dunfermline East 1,900

Dunfermline West 1,300

East Kilbride 2,000

East Lothian 1,600

Eastwood 1,100

Edinburgh Central 800

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 1,200

Edinburgh North and Leith 1,100

Edinburgh South 900

Edinburgh West 1,300

Edinburgh, Pentlands 1,500

Falkirk East 1,700

Falkirk West 1,600

Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 1,200

Glasgow, Anniesland 1,400

Glasgow, Baillieston 2,000

Glasgow, Cathcart 1,500

Glasgow, Govan 1,300

Glasgow, Kelvin 900

Glasgow, Maryhill 1,500

Glasgow, Pollok 2,100

Glasgow, Rutherglen 1,200

Glasgow, Shettleston 1,600

Glasgow, Springburn 1,900

Gordon 700

Greenock and Inverclyde 1,600

Hamilton North and Bellshill 1,700

Hamilton South 1,500

Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 2,000

Kilmarnock and Loudoun 2,000

Kirkcaldy 1,400

Linlithgow 1,800

Livingston 2,000

Midlothian 1,600

Moray 1,600

Motherwell and Wishaw 1,500

North East Fife 1,400

North Tayside 1,700

Ochil 1,300

Orkney and Shetland 800

Paisley North 1,800

Paisley South 1,700

Perth 2,000

Ross, Skye and Inverness West 1,800

Roxburgh and Berwickshire 1,700

Stirling 1,000

Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1,300

Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 1,600

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 1,000

West Renfrewshire 1,300

Western Isles 500

Unknown 300

SCOTLAND 108,300