Teaching parents thousands of pounds worse off, study shows

Teaching parents could be thousands of pounds worse off in the next financial year as changes to benefits take hold, a new study has shown.

In one example, a single parent-of-two working full time as a teacher and claiming in-work support could lose out on as much £3,700 compared to the financial year 2011/12, even after the National Living Wage is taken into account.

The research compared a range of households and income groups working full time, and how their income has fluctuated over a seven year period.

It shows both public and private sector workers have been hit by stagnating wages and a reduction in in-work benefits, such as work allowances.

Debbie Abrahams MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said it was “shocking” that people on low and middle incomes “are no better off than they were five years ago, and in some cases worse off”.

The research also found that women and members of an ethnic minority are more likely to be adversely affected by cuts to universal credit work allowances.

A government spokeswoman said: “We are committed to helping people improve their lives and raise their incomes.

“Universal credit does that by providing additional tailored support not available under the old benefit system, including more help for those in work so they can eventually stop claiming benefits altogether, and under universal credit people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the previous system.”