State Benefits From the start of the new tax year, Pension Credit payments have increased by 13% to £119 per week. The Chancellor also stated that he intended to extend the New Deal to training. Additionally, the £2,000 return to work bonus for lone parents has been extended and new measures have been introduced to encourage incapacitated people back to work.
The Child Tax Credit is set to rise by 13% over next 3 years to £63 per week for 1 child and £111 per week for 2 children.
Paid maternity leave has also been extended to 1 year. In terms of childcare, the Chancellor has announced new assistance in this area and also the intention to extend the Sure Start programme for young families. Pensioners were not ignored in the Budget and in Autumn 2005 there will be a council tax refund of £200 to pensioners with someone over the age of 65 in the household. This refund will be paid at the same time as the Winter Fuel payment of £200. Again, to qualify for the Winter Fuel payment, someone in the household must be 65 or over. Free local "off peak"