Tax credits

THE original version of my assessment of Labour's first year (THES,May 1) made clear that the provision of choice as to how the working family tax credit will be paid to couples is a far from ideal solution to the problem it creates: namely, with the loss of family credit, a transfer of resources from low- income mothers to their partners.

Research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that it may be difficult for some mothers to challenge a presumption that the tax credit is money to top up their partners' wages.

Ruth Lister Professor of social policy Loughborough University