We need a single mum subsidy, not cash for smug marrieds

This Christmas hundreds of couples across the country will be getting engaged; it’s a traditional time of year to pop the question. However, the sparkle of diamonds will no doubt be dwarfed by the romantic offer of a £200 per year tax break for married couples courtesy of the Government.

The marriage tax break is the most preposterous suggestion of how to set fire to a fistful of five pound notes – £700 million in fact.  The Chancellor announced yesterday in the Autumn Statement that the Government, in its quest for a “responsible recovery” is proceeding with with a tax break that is unfair, judgmental and worst of all….smug.

“Do the right thing” Dave and George are saying, “and we’ll bung you some cash.” But what IS the “right thing”? Clearly it is getting married.  Staying married.  Having children within marriage. And making sure there’s someone out at work and someone at home looking after the kids. No points for guessing the gender configuration on that one.

I’m not anti-marriage, especially now gay men and lesbians can tie the knot too. But the marriage tax allowance favours single breadwinner families and is as outdated as Dave’s breadmaker (it’s all about hand kneading these days, anyway…does he not watch the Great British Bake Off?) Few families can afford to only have one partner working; the cost of living crisis means making ends meet on a single salary is nigh impossible – unless you’re a banker, of course. Those million pound bonuses do come in handy for something.

The ‘trouble’ is, the majority of people in this country do not live the perfect 1950’s lifestyle that Dave and Co do.  The Tories need to put down the Boden catalogue and get a grip. Half of all marriages end in divorce.  And less than 50% of UK households are headed by a married couple. Retro may suit frocks and hairdos, but honestly, who wants to go back to the days before feminism and dishwashers? Not even the promise of an oh-so-generous tax break would chain me to the kitchen sink. I mean it’s tempting…and so thoughtful of Dave.  But I prefer to have equality, thank you very much. And if you think all his cronies are behind him, think again. Even ConservativeHome don’t think the marriage tax allowance is a priority

This week Help Don’t Judge released a report (and a very clever advent calendar) offering 24 better ideas than the marriage tax allowance. The most popular alternative way to spend £700 million is to develop a childcare plan that works for all families, provide universal childcare and reinstate the 400 SureStart programmes that have been closed since 2010. More than £430m has been cut from English local authorities’ SureStart budgets- a clear sign from the Government that children from poorer backgrounds don’t matter.

With one in four children growing up in single parent families, the marriage tax allowance penalizes the very people that need help the most. We need a single mum subsidy, not cash for smug marrieds. I meet struggling single mums nearly every week on the doorstep; they should be triumphed as champions, not derided as failures.

Single people contribute to the economy much more than married couples, anyway. Young single people are out in the pub, supporting their local economy while couples stay at home eating an M&S meal deal in marital bliss. We need to redistribute the “single supplement”, not give false incentives to tie the knot.

But there are plenty of other ways we could spend £700 million rather than peddle cheap gimmicks and prop up a dying institution. Like building secure, energy efficient homes available at a fair rent. Or preserving the NHS. What about instituting a modern, fit for purpose Sex and Relationship curriculum and make it compulsory for all pupils? We could restore funding to domestic violence shelters: currently 180 women a day are turned away for lack of space and resources. Or what about giving everybody-  in the entire nation – a tenner this Christmas? Now that definitely sounds like ‘responsible recovery’ to me.