'Cut taxes for single parents'
The Moderate party women's association, Moderatkvinnorna, has called for taxes to be cut for single parents. The minister of health and social affairs, Göran Hägglund, is sceptical of the idea.
Moderatkvinnorna have made the call following the publication of a new report from the Gothenburg-based SOM (Society, Opinion, Media) Institute which indicates that income and economic divisions are widening in Sweden.
Every fifth single mum is classified as poor in Sweden.
"This is a social problem that we have to do something about," said member of parliament Magdalena Andersson, Moderatkvinnorna's chairperson, to Svenska Dagbladet.
The proposal is designed to help children in poor families and could be worth 5,000 kronor ($836)-10,000 kronor per year for a single parent. For those on an income of 252,000 kronor, a 10,000 kronor tax allowance would mean an extra 3,144 kronor in the pockets of hard-up parents.
The new tax allowance would cost the exchequer 1-1.5 billion kronor, if all single parents received the bonus regardless of income.
The minister of finance, Anders Borg, has previously rejected reforms aimed specifically at helping single parents. Moderate party secretary, Per Schlingmann, has however welcomed the proposal from Moderatkvinnorna.
"It is positive and decent to expend energy on a group that is struggling financially," he said to Svenska Dagbladet.
The Liberal Party's social policy spokesperson, Tobias Krantz, says that the proposal will be looked at "in a positive frame of mind" but the minister of health and social affairs, Göran Hägglund, is sceptical.
"I believe that one should think twice before introducing a tax allowance that would mean it would be financially beneficial for a person co-habiting with another to separate, in reality or on paper, to improve their tax situation," said Hägglund.
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Moderatkvinnorna have made the call following the publication of a new report from the Gothenburg-based SOM (Society, Opinion, Media) Institute which indicates that income and economic divisions are widening in Sweden.
Every fifth single mum is classified as poor in Sweden.
"This is a social problem that we have to do something about," said member of parliament Magdalena Andersson, Moderatkvinnorna's chairperson, to Svenska Dagbladet.
The proposal is designed to help children in poor families and could be worth 5,000 kronor ($836)-10,000 kronor per year for a single parent. For those on an income of 252,000 kronor, a 10,000 kronor tax allowance would mean an extra 3,144 kronor in the pockets of hard-up parents.
The new tax allowance would cost the exchequer 1-1.5 billion kronor, if all single parents received the bonus regardless of income.
The minister of finance, Anders Borg, has previously rejected reforms aimed specifically at helping single parents. Moderate party secretary, Per Schlingmann, has however welcomed the proposal from Moderatkvinnorna.
"It is positive and decent to expend energy on a group that is struggling financially," he said to Svenska Dagbladet.
The Liberal Party's social policy spokesperson, Tobias Krantz, says that the proposal will be looked at "in a positive frame of mind" but the minister of health and social affairs, Göran Hägglund, is sceptical.
"I believe that one should think twice before introducing a tax allowance that would mean it would be financially beneficial for a person co-habiting with another to separate, in reality or on paper, to improve their tax situation," said Hägglund.
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