Clause 8
Child Poverty Bill
9:30 am
Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North, Labour)
I am interested in the point that the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire just made because it seemed to be based on the assumption that the benefit system effectively does not disincentivise a couple from separating because the two people will not have additional costs as a result. In my experience, the housing costs of two people separating would heavily outweigh any possible advantage within the tax credit and benefit system of them separating, so I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman has thought that point through.