Women 'Will Bear The Brunt' Of Welfare Cuts

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

Women will "bear the brunt" of austerity measures if the Conservatives win the General Election, Labour has warned.

Analysis commissioned by the Labour Party from the independent House of Commons Library showed that freezing benefits and tax credits would disproportionately affect women.

It follows research earlier in the year that suggested that tax changes since 2010 have taken six times more from women than from men.

In his conference speech, the Chancellor set out plans to cut £3.2bn off the welfare bill by freezing many working-age benefits for two years from 2015.

The freeze will hit an estimated 10 million households and be a cut in real terms of around £320 to welfare payments including jobseeker's allowance, child benefit, income support and tax credits.

Labour said the House of Commons Library analysis showed 75% of the overall savings would come from women – rising to 80% of the savings from freezing tax credits.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: "These new figures show how, once again, women will bear the brunt of David Cameron and George Osborne's choices.

"This follows four years of Budgets which have taken six times more from women than men – even though women earn less than men.

"Working people are already worse off under this Government. If the Tories win next year, three million working people face being made worse off because their tax credits will be cut again.

"This Strivers' Tax will cost a one earner family earning £25,000, with two children, almost £500 a year."

Work and Pensions Minister Esther McVey defended the Government's record, telling Sky News: "You have got record rates of women in work, record number of women into work.

"You've also seen the pay gender gap fall to the smallest it's ever been. 

"We've taken three million people out of the personal allowance threshold. Most of them are women.

"We've bought into extra support for childcare, as well free school meals for infants, so actually this Government has done a considerable amount to help women in the workplace and I'm proud of that record."

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