Marriage Tax Break Omitted from Parliament Address, UK Officials Disgruntled

By Myles Collier , Christian Post Contributor

December 6, 2012|11:59 am

There has been widespread disappointment in the United Kingdom after Chancellor George Osborne failed to mention the proposed marriage tax break in the yearly Autumn Address.

Conservative Members of Parliament had put forth their intention to introduce a new tax break for married couples, known as a transferrable tax break, which officials contend would save married couples around £150 ($240) a year when one spouse stays at home.

But Chancellor Osborne failed to mention any tax proposal involving married couples during his parliamentary address, which has left many MP's disappointed.

"It is disappointing that this pledge has still to be fulfilled as it is shown that it would have a positive impact on the incomes of the poorest working households," Christian Guy, Managing Director for the Centre for Social Justice, said in a statement.
The bill has wide support among conservative politicians and religious leaders and was even supported by Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron had pledged to have the tax break available for married couples by 2015.

Officials contend that the tax break would go a long way to help poor, working-class families while at the same time highlighting the government's stance on the importance of marriage.

The Bishop of Chester had also recently insisted that the British government bring about the tax breaks for married couples.

Bishop Forster explained that Members of Parliament should ease the economic burden of married families while also insisting that the new tax measure would reinforce the commitment to the traditional family and values.

"Good marriages are not just a benefit for the couple themselves, and their children, but serve to strengthen the wider society of which they are a part," Forster told The Christian Institute.

Unfortunately, the new tax breaks may never happen, given the continued push by the British government to redefine marriage and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's continued opposition against such measures. Clegg believes that the law would discriminate against non-married couples or cohabitating couples, which is unlawful.