Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced plans to bolster family support, proposing increased tax breaks for married couples and the elimination of the two-child benefit cap. Farage clarified that this isn’t an endorsement of a “benefits culture,” but rather an initiative to ease financial burdens on lower-income families.
In a London address, Farage also pledged to reinstate winter fuel payments for ten million pensioners, reversing recent government cuts. This announcement comes as the Prime Minister faces internal pressure over government spending, including disability benefit reductions.
Labour’s response was swift, with party chairwoman Ellie Reeves dismissing Farage’s proposals as “fantasy promises” reminiscent of Liz Truss’s economically damaging policies. The Labour party itself is also considering abolishing the two-child benefit cap, a measure preventing many families from claiming benefits for children born after April 2017.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson acknowledged the government’s consideration but highlighted the significant cost involved. Sir Keir Starmer has also suggested easing winter fuel payment cuts, though details remain pending.
Farage further outlined Reform UK’s ambition to raise the income tax threshold to £20,000. He detailed plans to offset the costs of these expansive proposals by eliminating net-zero initiatives, reducing asylum seeker accommodation, cutting public sector diversity and equality programs, and trimming the number of quangos.
While acknowledging the estimated £3.5 billion cost of removing the two-child benefit cap, Farage emphasized its potential to aid families, advocating for broader policies to encourage childbearing. This includes enhancing tax benefits for married couples, a position he clarified is not rooted in moral judgment, given his own past marital history.
Currently, married couples can transfer £1,260 of their personal allowance to a higher-earning spouse, resulting in tax savings. Reform UK proposes raising the personal allowance to £20,000 for all and further exempting one partner’s first £25,000 of income in married couples.
Stuart Adam of the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that raising the income tax allowance to £20,000 could cost between £50 billion and £80 billion annually. He questioned the feasibility of Reform UK’s funding plans, noting the lack of detailed costing. Regarding the state pension’s triple lock policy, Farage stated the party hadn’t yet formulated a position.
On abortion, Farage voiced pro-choice views while expressing concerns about the current 24-week limit. Recent electoral gains for Reform UK, including a by-election win and mayoral victories, underscore their growing influence.
Farage’s speech heavily targeted Labour, positioning Reform UK as the party of working people and dismissing the Conservatives as irrelevant. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats responded critically, questioning the economic viability of Reform UK’s proposals.
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