‘Men benefit more than women from Budget’

Splashingmorecashontax cuts than support for controversial welfare reforms means women will be hit harder than men by Philip Hammond’s Budget, according to analysis.

Nearly all the losses from changes to tax and benefits announced since the Conservatives took power have been shouldered by women, House of Commons Library research found.

Mr Hammond’s latest Budget continues to widen the gap, the study said.

The methodology used in the gender audit was developed by Labour MP Yvette Cooper with House of Commons Library statisticians. It found 56 per cent of a £3.6 billion boost in the Chancellor’s tax and welfare measures will go to men.

Over the past eight years, 87 per cent of the losses have fallen on women, up 1 per cent compared with before the financial statement, according to the research.

Women are hit harder by welfare reforms while men are more likely to gain from tax allowances, according to Ms Cooper.

She said: “Each time the Chancellor has the chance to narrow the gap he does the opposite. By choosing to put more into raising tax allowances including for the highest earners than into tackling the problems with Universal Credit, the Chancellor has ignored the fact that low earners are still being hardest hit, and that means women are still losing out.”