Public funding cuts hit the poorest hardest

New Institute for Fiscal Studies research makes use of analysis published by the Department for Work and Pensions and attempts to reflect the impact of all the benefit cuts announced in the coalition Government's first Budget. It shows that, once all of the benefit cuts are considered, the tax and benefit changes announced in the emergency Budget are regressive.

The IFS's analysis suggests that low income families with children are set to lose the most - about 5% of net income. Cuts to areas such as housing benefit and disability allowance would hit the poorest to the tune of £422 between the Budget and April 2014. Other income groups are forecast to lose larger amounts in cash terms, but as a percentage of take-home pay, the poorest 10% will be hardest hit, the report says.

The Government has rejected this analysis.

You can download the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies

You can the news story on the BBC

Posted on 26 August 2010

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