Speaking during a debate on the issue in the Assembly today (Tuesday), East Antrim MLA Mr Dickson said proposed increases in the minimum wage were negated by the impact of cuts to the tax credits system.
“The tax credits system provides a considerable amount of financial support to many of the poorest people in our society, often subsidising wages and employers, helping to top-up people’s incomes to a livable level. Therefore it is a vital part of maintaining a decent standard of living. However, once again the Tories have tried to pull the carpet from underneath the poorest working families in the country.
“I utterly deplore the cruel, uncaring and deliberate way the Conservative Government is going about cutting tax credits. The Prime Minister has vowed an ‘all-out assault on poverty,’ despite his tax credit changes putting an additional 200,000 children into poverty by 2020.
“Nonetheless, we can make a difference in the lives of the poor in Northern Ireland by growing our economy, fixing our healthcare system and implementing the welfare mitigating measures we have secured.”