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Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit

Child Benefit

The government will bring forward April’s increase in Child Benefit to January, worth an additional £22 on average to families.

This will increase Child Benefit from £18.80 to £20 per week for the first child, and from £12.55 to £13.20 per week for subsequent children, from 5 January 2009.

Child Tax Credit

The government will bring forward to April 2009 its commitment to increase the child element of the Child Tax Credit by £25 above indexation.

The child element will therefore increase by £75 above indexation to £2,235.

Guardian's Allowance

Guardian's Allowance will increase from £13.45 to £14.10 from April 2009.

State Pension

In April 2009 the level of a full State Pension will rise in line with prices to £95.25 a week. The government is committed to uprating the basic State Pension by RPI or 2.5 per cent, whichever is higher.

In addition, the government will pay £60 to all pensioners in the New Year, which is equivalent to bringing forward the increase in the Basic State Pension for a single pensioner from April to January.

A £60 payment will also be made to 2.5 million individuals who receive certain other benefits.

Pension Credit

The government also announced an above-indexation increase in Pension Credit’s minimum income guarantee to £130.00 for single pensioners and £198.45 for couples in 2009-10.