LETTER: Severe impact of tax credit cuts

In a recent column in the West Sussex County Times, (‘Invaluable service’, October 15, 2015), Jeremy Quin acknowledged that the assumption amongst some of his parliamentary colleagues, ‘ that there is no deprivation locally, that Sussex’s potential social challenges are comfortably smothered by general affluence, ’ is erroneous.
Your lettersYour letters
Your letters

Mr Quin is clearly a decent man who is capable of recognising the difficulties that many of his constituents struggle with and the fact that these need to be addressed.

We hope that Mr Quin will rise to the challenge of addressing a current issue that is likely to blight the lives of many of his constituents. We call upon him to oppose the tax credit cuts proposed by George Osborne.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

These cuts will affect three million families nationally. In the parliamentary constituency of Horsham, 2,900 working families will hit by the cuts. Families affected will be, on average, £1,300.00 a year worse off. The chancellor says that the reduction to benefits will be compensated for by an increased minimum wage. For many this is simply not the case and in Horsham, an environment where local wage levels are low and the cost of living high, the impact will be particularly severe.

The Labour Party has campaigned locally for measures that would benefit struggling families.

We have called for more affordable housing, opposed cuts to the valuable local services on which many rely and for a real Living Wage for those working in the local economy.

The local Tories have largely refused to support these campaigns and, as a result, many in our community have suffered.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the prospect of even greater challenges ahead, the Labour Party is calling on MPs to show their support for the hardworking families that face those challenges.

Mr Quin said in his article that are some situations where an MP can make a difference. This is one of those situations when he can make a difference and we hope that he will !

Those readers of your paper who want to support the campaign against the proposed cuts to tax credit can sign our online petition at labour.org.uk/taxcredits.

CAROL HAYTON

Horsham Labour Party, Clarence Road, Horsham

__

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.wscountytimes.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wscountytimes

3 Follow us on Twitter @wscountytimes

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

The County Times – always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics: