An increase in child benefits will be paid from 5th January 2009 instead of 6th April 2009. The new amounts will be £20.00 per week for the first or only child and £13.20 per week for subsequent children. Between 5 January and 31 March 2008 these increases will be disregarded if you claim housing benefit or council tax benefit.
Guardians allowance will be increased in line with indexation from April 2009.
Increase the child element of the child tax credit by £25 above indexation in April 2009 rather than April 2010, as originally planned.
Trials of payment of tax credit childcare payments that more closely reflect childcare costs at the time they were incurred.
Further proposals for childcare reform, updating the Government’s ten year framework for childcare policy, will be brought forward in the New Year.
Note: The Treasury Committee report notes that the Pre-Budget Report contains no policy measures which will significantly advance meeting the 2010 child poverty target.
Heating
There will be £50 million of investment brought forward, and £100 million of additional funding, for the Warm Front programme. This means 60,000 homes will benefit more quickly from energy efficiency and heating measures.
Housing costs
To ensure that all people on low incomes will benefit from the uprating of working tax credit, from April 2009 the disregard for tax credits in housing benefit will increase by retail prices index (RPI).
The capital limit for help with mortgage interest payments for those on employment and support allowance, income support and jobseeker's allowance is to be raised to £200,000, and support will be maintained at the current interest rate for the next six months for existing claimants.
Pensioners
£60 will be paid in January 2009 to all pensioners and other claimants eligible for the annual Christmas Bonus.
The standard minimum income guarantee in pension credit will have an above indexation increase, rising by £5.95 to £130.00 a week for single pensioners and by £9.10 to £198.45 a week for pensioner couples.
Pregnancy
From April 2009 the Health in Pregnancy Grant will be introduced at a value of £190 for all women after the 25th week of pregnancy.
Savings
The Government will contribute 50p for each pound saved in the new national Saving Gateway, which will be introduced nationally in 2010. People on qualifying benefits and tax credits will have the opportunity to open Saving Gateway accounts through a range of financial institutions such as banks, building societies and credit unions. The Saving Gateway will also be available through the Post Office.
Working
Working tax credits will be increased in line with indexation from April 2009.
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