PRESS RELEASE
Government must prioritise recognising marriage in tax system in tomorrow’s Budget say CARE

Christian social policy charity CARE today calls on the Government to move budget resolutions recognising marriage in the tax system.

Nola Leach, CARE’s Chief Executive said, ‘We are delighted that the Conservative Party made recognising marriage in the tax system a manifesto commitment and that this was embraced by the Coalition Agreement, albeit it with provision for the Liberal Democrats to abstain.’

‘The imperative for swift action on this commitment has greatly increased since it was made, because the tax burden on married couples on average wage with two children has shot up and is destined to dramatically deteriorate in the next two years. In 2008/09 the tax burden on such families in this country was 33 per cent greater than the OECD average. The 2009/10 figures, however, now reveal that the burden has risen such that it is now 39 per cent greater than the OECD average. What is most concerning, though, is that in the context of other Coalition Government policies, this is now destined to soar to a staggering 50 per cent of the OECD average.’

Leach continued, ‘Only 24 per cent of people in the OECD area live in countries that don’t recognise marriage in the tax system. The vast majority of these live in Mexico, Turkey and the UK. Married couples in this country don’t get a fair deal and things will get much worse if the Government does not take action tomorrow.’

On Friday CARE wrote to all Members of Parliament sending copies of CARE’s recent report The Taxation of Families 2009/10 which explains the dangers of not taking swift action to recognise marriage in the tax system.