Priti Patel, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Conservative Party parliamentary candidate for Witham, is calling on married couples and civil partners to register to receive the new Marriage Allowance, which could be worth up to £212.
Introduced by the Conservatives in Government, the tax-break for married couples and civil partners, enables part of a spouse's tax-free allowance to be transferred to the other spouse and could cut their overall tax bill by up to £212 in the new 2015/16 financial year. This tax-break, which will be particularly beneficial to families where one parent does not work, is opposed by the Labour Party, who have pledged to axe it if elected.
Priti said: 'The Conservative Party supports marriage and believes it should be recognised in the tax system. This new allowance could help thousands of families in the Witham constituency and I would encourage them to register for the Allowance so they can cut their tax bill.
'With the introduction of this new tax break and our support for families with tax-free childcare worth up to £2,000 per child, we are on the side of couples and families and empowering them to make the best choices to suit their circumstances.'
Commenting on the Labour Party's plans to scrap the Marriage Allowance, Priti added: 'It is shameful that the Labour Party have pledged to axe this support for couples as part of their plans to increase taxes. Low and middle income families in Witham would be hit hard by Labour's tax bombshell and Britain cannot afford a return to the high taxes and economic chaos that a Labour-led Government would bring.
'By voting Conservative at the General Election, Britain can stick to the long-term economic plan which is working and continue to benefit from lower taxes.'
Further details on the Marriage Allowance and how to register to receive the Allowance can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/marriage-allowance. Details on Tax Free Childcare can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax-free-childcare-10-things-parents-should-know.