This is disgusting. I have to work 37.5 hrs a week plus overtime and earn less than someone who doesn't want to work or works a pitiful amount and they earn more than me but paid for by me. This is modern society. The new tier in society, you have the Mega Rich, the rich, the benefit society and then at the bottom of the pile....the hard worker.

When will workers start seeing some of of their hard earned cash? We keep hearing about the poor, single parents etc...now what about allowing us to keep our money instead of tax tax tax.

Also, don't pay for people to come out of poverty....don't give benefits in money, tax rebates etc....make them earn their way out. Make them get education to get better jobs. Benefits give the easy way out....money for nothing.

Adrian Jones, Farnborough,

Its about time someone actually came out and said two parent families are discriminated against. Everyone knows Brown and his cronies have made the tax burden on families, In particular the traditional two parent familiy almost unbearable. They have encouraged a lone parent benefit culture! It seems only lone parents warrant any help.

I personally know of at least a dozen single parents who are getting more than my working daughter and partner, Who both work and have one child with another on the way. They are struggling financially but don't appear to qaulify for any help, while having to both work to make ends meet.

Carolyn, Yorkshire, England

dont know where they get the figures from ..i was quoted £290 a week whilst working 16 hrs on minimum wage at5 my lone parent meeting a few months ago

h mcc, saltcoats , ayrshire

We are worse off then ever thanks to tax credits. Since apparently being ovepaid (their mistake) I haven't received anything for over a year and have found myself in debt to them for the first time in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At one point they even changed my tax code and were making me pay more tax on my meagre wage to claim back money they said THEY had overpaid me.
It makes me furious that as a working couple trying to give our two children the best we can, there are bums out there who are earning just as much doing nothing, getting their houses paid for and freebies left right and centre!!!!!!

Helen Woods, Rainhill, UK

At last, someone has the guts to tell the truth. My husband and I have a combined income of £50k, which might sound a lot, but we have to pay out £2.5k in childcare and after the mortgage and usual bills, have no disposal income at all. Our big treat is one Sun holiday (£9.50 each) a year. We are not entitled to any WFTC or CTC as we are judged too wealthy! In their publicity it states anyone with an income of £60k or less can claim. So, why can't we?

HMJ, Aylesbury, Bucks

Mr Field didn´t quite dare to say "Labour isn´t working".

Tim C, Isle of Wight,

Thank you Mr.Field for your honesty, a rare attribute in politicians these days! I have long suspected Gordon Brown should not be revered for 'alleged' skills as Chancellor. New Labour are blatantly anti two parent families and to their shame this adds to the breakdown in social cohesion prevalent today. I speak from personal experience, I was far better off 14 years ago when my wife took 6 years out of work to care for our child during the most important formative years. With the election of New Labour, reclaim of tax credits on the share dividends of non taxpayers ceased, pensions were pillaged and stealth taxes abound. Gordon Brown's sins as Chancellor will be exposed with the passing of time and tax credits, pensions and benefits will be near the top of the list!

R.B., Leicester, Leicestershire

At last someone has spoken up about this injustice!

As a (now happily re-married) mother of 2 children of school age, I could not believe the drop in income we suffered when I remarried - we both work full-time. My new husband pays maintenance for his 3 children (which isn't taken into account when awarding tax credits) which leaves him very little disposable income and my (now our) award was cut by a total of over £500 per month.

To rub salt in the wound, my daughter (at college studying A levels) is unable to claim EMA payments of £30 per week plus bonus's of £100 a time since our joint gross income we just tips over the £30k p.a. mark - so she has to work as well as study unlike some of her 'luckier' peers!

Myself and my children would have been far better off financially if I had stayed single and working just 16 hours a week as I was. No wonder the UK has a housing crisis !!!

Sandi, Glossop, Derbyshrie