Changes to benefit will help working families

Changes to Housing and Council Tax Benefit rules will allow 200,000 working families to gain around £1,000 a year.

From Monday, Child Benefit will no longer be taken into account when calculating entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

Secretary of State Yvette Cooper said: “We want to do more to help families who are working hard to get by during the recession. Already tax credits make sure families are better off in work, but this extra cash is a practical way to make sure the benefits from working are even stronger. And it will help cut child poverty too.”