Tax and the Family Have Released Two New Research Papers

Tax and the Family have released two new research papers. One compares tax burdens in 2018/19 with those in 1990/91, the first year of independent taxation, the second estimates the amount families need to earn to be out of poverty.

Tax Burdens Compared

At the five income points selected families are paying less income tax in 2018 than in 1990. There has nevertheless been a redistribution of the tax burden with families – particularly single–earner families bearing a bigger share – and people without children bearing a smaller share. As was recognised at the time, the big winners have been high-income two-earner couples.

You can download the paper here.

Amounts Families Need to Earn to Be Out of Poverty

For a single person this might be little as £146 per week, but in the case of a couple with four children it could be as much as £509 per week. This paper estimates how much nine different households need to earn to be out of poverty – some families can get above the poverty line by working 16 hours a week at the minimum wage. Others may need to earn £40,000. 


You can download the paper here.