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Responding to the Institute for Fiscal Studies' (IFS) analysis of upcoming tax and benefit changes, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'The IFS confirms that families and children are bearing the heaviest load for the Chancellor's austerity drive. This is not so much all in it together as women and children last.

'But while the 50p tax rate on the richest one per cent is always described as temporary, these cuts are not just permanent but will get deeper and nastier.

'We risk being trapped in a vicious circle where such cuts simply make the economy go into further decline. That is why we need a budget for jobs and growth that looks to the future.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The IFS analysis is available at www.ifs.org.uk/publications/6042

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: egibson@tuc.org.uk