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Marriage tax controversy must not threaten overall family policy

While the ‘Big Society’ has become a central theme of the government, many think that family policy has been sidelined. The question now being asked is: “Is this due to Liberal Democrat-Conservative disagreements on marriage tax policy?” If so, the danger is that this symbolic issue detracts from ensuring that policy in all areas strengthens families. Families have a greater impact on education, health, justice and welfare than the voluntary sector – they need clear voice and strategy at the heart of government.

Family Minister Sarah Teather recently said that the married couple’s tax allowance was “very controversial between the parties” and that she had “no idea” when it was going to be brought forward. (1) The Relationships Foundation warns that arguments about recognising marriage in the tax system risk missing the big picture – families affect everyone and they affect every part of life. The Relationships Foundation has welcomed the Task Force for Childhood and Families, but argues that it must have a broad remit and a long-term view at the heart of government, and not just be a mechanism for reconciling differences within the coalition.

Executive Director Michael Trend comments: “the coalition must not get distracted by internal tensions. We have a great opportunity with the Task Force: it should be a permanent body at the heart of government setting the architecture for the coalition government’s long-term approach to families. It must look at the penumbra of issues where the strength and effectiveness of family relationships both influence and are influenced by a wide range of policy areas (2). Only by getting the family right can we hope to increase wellbeing, improve social mobility and look for the ‘heavy lift’ which will essential to reduce the fiscal deficit.

“The married couple’s tax allowance threatens to become a distraction for the media and the parties. Instead the Task Force should ensure that policy in all areas contributes positively to the goal of strengthening families and improving children’s lives. It should consider how all policy can be ‘family proofed’ to ensure it positively influences families. (3) The Task Force should focus on the factors that influence the motivation to form and conduct particular kinds of relationship, the opportunities to do so, and the support that people may require.

“Issues around the married couple’s tax allowance will have to be resolved. David Cameron made it a key message of the campaign and it is specifically mentioned in the coalition document. But it should be one strand of a broad range of policies aimed at supporting families. This new era of smaller government and the ‘big society’ can only work if families play their part. The government must actively support them in this role.”

ENDS

For more information please contact: Peter Lynas –

p.lynas@relationshipsfoundation.org              01223
341286             07899 898066

NOTES TO EDITORS: 


1.http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/13/coalition-split-marriage-tax-teather

2. The Penumbra, Relationships Foundation, 2008. Available at http://tiny.cc/Penumbra

3. Progressive Families, Progressive Britain: Why Britain needs family proofing of policy, Relationships Foundation, 2010. Available at http://tiny.cc/ProgFam

The Relationships Foundation, established in 1993, is a Cambridge-based independent think tank seeking a better connected society. It studies the effect that culture, business and government have on relationships. It proposes new ideas for strengthening social connections, campaigns on issues where relationships are being undermined, and trains and equips people to think relationally for themselves.