Catholic Union Director, Nigel Parker, comments: “The Chancellor has once again missed the opportunity for fundamental reform of the tax and benefit system to help families struggling with the cost of living.
While a higher National Living Wage and lower National Insurance payments will be welcome news for some, the Chancellor has failed to address the challenges on overall household finances. The penalties faced by many families, such as a two-child cap on Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits, remain in place following this Statement despite our best efforts to highlight the impact they are having on families. The benefit of the changes announced by the Chancellor will be felt considerably less by those with caring responsibilities, which speaks to an inherent weakness in our current system. The lack of references to family and the common good is also deeply troubling. We will make many of these arguments again ahead of the Budget in spring next year. Time is running out for this Government to turn words into action when it comes to supporting family life. The Catholic Union will continue to work with those in Government and opposition parties to make the voices of Catholics heard in Parliament ahead of a crucial General Election year. Louisa Collyer-Hamlin Catholic Union
