One of my proudest moments as UNISON General Secretary was late last year, when the government abandoned their plans to slash tax credits for millions of families, including tens of thousands of UNISON members.
Thanks to a campaign initiated and led by UNISON, plans that would have taken money from the pockets of those most in need were shelved.
As a union we should be vocal about the difference we made to the lives of so many of our members and millions more throughout the country.
But the battle to ensure that those in need of a helping hand receive all the support they’re entitled to did not end when tax credit cuts were defeated.
This week, we launched a campaign to ensure that every UNISON member is receiving all of the tax credits that they are entitled to. In particular, we want to make sure that those who are being moved onto the government’s new benefits system “Universal Credit” are claiming everything they should be before the changeover, when their benefits will be locked in at the current rate.
With that in mind, we’ve launched – with the organisation entitledto – a tax-credit take-up tool that allows you to make sure you’re claiming the tax credits you should be. Our research suggests that some people could lose as much as £14,000 over the next five years – with many losing out by sums in the thousands. At particular risk of losing out are disabled people, couples with children and lone parents.
If you’re eligible for tax credits, you really should check that you’re claiming all that you’re entitled to. It only takes a couple of minutes.
And don’t just take it from me. Hannah Maundrell, editor in chief of the website Money.co.uk, told the BBC that:
“This is a clear call to action to make checking your entitlement top of your to do list today. Getting your claim sorted now could mean you get more in your pocket later so it’s definitely worth doing.”
I couldn’t agree more. Use the tool today and make sure you don’t miss out.
