Budget offers light relief for low income families

Low income earners will be able to earn a little more before their family support assistance begins reducing.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen has indicated that next year's Budget will see up to $500 million spent on assisting low income workers, but this year they might give him a very light handclap.

The Government is to spend $59 million over four years on helping low income families.

The maximum number of subsidised childcare hours will increase from 37 to 50 hours per week from July this year.

The income thresholds for family support and the Child Tax credit will also go up slightly with the first step moving from $20,000 to $20,356 and the second moving from $27,000 to $27,481.

Other work assistance programmes include:

* Assistance to migrants and refugees in Auckland will receive $21.2 million through the Auckland Metropolitan Migrant and Refugee Strategy;

* $52 million in reprioritised funding within Work and Income to tailor training for job seekers;

* $4 million to promote young, old and migrant job seekers.

- NZPA