Benefit payouts to exceed income tax revenue

Posted: Tue 30 Jun 2009 1 17 pm

The state will pay out more in social security benefits than it raises from workers in income tax this year, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The stark evidence of the growing imbalance between what the Government raises and what it spends is likely to intensify the political row over the public finances and may strengthen calls for cuts in spending.

Treasury figures show that welfare payments will exceed income tax receipts by almost Â£25 billion. Normally, income tax receipts comfortably cover the benefits bill.

In 2008/09, gross income tax receipts were Â£152.5 billion. In the same year, social security benefits cost the Exchequer Â£150.1 billion.

In 2009/10, the Treasury is expecting to take in Â£140.5 billion in gross income tax receipts. Social security benefits are projected to be Â£164.7 billion.

The disparity between tax revenue and welfare costs was identified by Andrew Brough, a fund manager at Schroder Investment Management, who suggested that the amount of money spent on social protection could soon exceed that raised from both income tax and national insurance.

According to an official Treasury forecast, benefits will cost Â£170.9 billion in 2010/11. That is equal to what the Government will spend on the NHS, schools and universities combined.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5651825/Benefit-payouts-will-exceed-income-tax-revenue.html

That's what 12 years of Labour economic policy gets you.