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The Government’s aim is to build a fairer society in which everyone can contribute to and share in rising national prosperity. The Pre-Budget Report sets out the steps the Government is taking to tackle child and pensioner poverty, to support families and children, and to promote savings. The Government is also continuing to build a modern tax system in which everyone pays their fair share. The Child Tax Credit was introduced in April 2003, to support families with children, help to tackle child poverty, and ensure continuity of income for people moving into work. By April 2006, around 10.1 million children were benefiting from the support it provides. The Pension Credit, introduced in October 2003, provides extra help for low and modest income pensioners and rewards those who have saved for retirement. In the Pre-Budget Report, the Government takes further steps to promote a fairer society, including:

• a rise of £80 in the child element of the Child Tax Credit from April 2007, in line with the commitment to increase it at least in line with average earnings to the end of the Parliament;

• from April 2009 every mother-to-be will be eligible for Child Benefit from week 29 of their pregnancy;

• making Individual Savings Accounts permanent to provide greater certainty for providers and savers;

• an extension of the Warm Front programme, providing insulation and heating at the lowest possible cost to vulnerable households and pensioners; and

• measures to promote fairness in the tax system, including action to tackle tax avoidance.

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