HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : New campaign shows how tax credits shift from father to mother [26 March 2003]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 26 March 2003.

A mould-breaking million-pound advertising campaign was launched today by Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo.

It explains how the new Child Tax Credit starts being paid direct to the main carer – usually the mother – instead of the main earner – usually the father.

And, with nine out of ten families with children eligible, it urges those still to apply to do so.

The campaign will include:

• Double-page spread ads in national newspapers – appearing from tomorrow – showing how the tax credits transfer from men to women.
• Smaller advertisements in specialist magazines explaining that the cash men are losing will instead go straight to their partner.
• advertisements in local newspapers.
• Billboards nationwide

The new campaign follows an opinion poll by ICM Research showing that two-thirds of people believe that all support for children should be paid to the mother, and only one per cent think it should be paid to the father. Even the vast majority of men believe all support for children should be paid to the mother – 64 per cent believed that it should be paid to the mother and only 1 per cent that it should go to the father.

70 per cent of all those polled said that the mother is most likely to ensure that the money goes to the needs of the children. And while 28 per cent said it made no difference which parent received the money, only two per cent said fathers would be most likely to ensure that the money goes to the needs of the children.

Launching the new advertising, Dawn Primarolo said:

“Women need to know that they will be getting the money direct and they need to know as well that if they haven’t already applied they should do so straight away.

Nine out of ten families are eligible and in a family with two kids the mum could receive up to £65 a week in Child Tax Credit alone. Some could get much more. It’s the biggest boost for mums since the introduction of Child Benefit. It’s vital that everyone knows about it and claims it.”