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Tax Credit changes

The Chancellor confirmed an increase in Child Tax Credit for low income families by an extra £255 - to begin in April.

There are changes to tax credits that have already been announced that are due to come in from 6 April 2011. These include the amount of income you can have before your tax credits are affected, the hours you can work if you're 60 or over and some payments being reduced or stopped. Find out how these changes could affect you by following the link below.

• Tax credits: effect of Budget changes from 6 April 2023 (money, tax and benefits section)

Housing Benefit changes

There are changes to Housing Benefit that have already been announced and are due to come in April.

If you live in private rented accommodation and claim Housing Benefit, the rates for Local Housing allowance (LHA) will be reduced from April 2011. The Local Housing Allowance is used to work out how much Housing Benefit you get. These changes introduce limits on the LHA depending on the number of rooms in your property.

Budget 2011 confirmed that the government will not take forward the planned 10 per cent reduction in Housing Benefit for long-term Jobseeker's Allowance claimants. This was originally announced in February in the Welfare Reform Bill 2011.

For a full explanation of the changes to Housing Benefit, follow the link below.

• Important changes to Housing Benefit

New Enterprise Allowance scheme

If you have been unemployed for more than six months and you are just beginning self-employment, you could benefit from the new Enterprise Allowance scheme. You will be able to access loans, an Enterprise Allowance payment and guidance (mentoring) for up to six months.

Childcare – changes to tax relief

There will be a reduction in the weekly amount that parents on higher and additional tax rates joining a childcare scheme can claim exempt from income tax and national insurance. Parents on higher and additional tax rates will only be able to claim up to £28 and £22 respectively exempted from income tax and national insurance.

Parents who are basic rate taxpayers will continue to be able to claim up to £55 exempt from income tax and national insurance.

Parents already part of a childcare scheme will be able to continue with same level of exemption beyond April 2011.

Benefit fraud prevention

The government will introduce tougher fraud prevention measures from April 2012 as well as new arrangements for recovering overpaid benefits.

New Benefit rates

Find out what the new benefit and pension rates will be (starting the week beginning 11 April) by following the link below.

Benefits worked out using the Consumer Prices Index

Default increases in benefits and tax credits will be worked out using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) instead of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) from April 2011. The CPI and RPI are used by government and economists to work out inflation (how much prices increase) each year.