Vol. 492 No. 4
189 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of extending double tax bands to all widows; and the estimated cost of allowing widows retain lone parent tax free allowance beyond the time when their children have ceased to be dependants. [14355/98]
The doubling of the tax band for widowed persons is currently estimated to cost £22 million in a full year.
Statistics are not available to enable a precise estimate of the cost to the Exchequer from allowing widowed parents to retain the lone parent's tax free allowance permanently. However, if it is assumed for illustration that all widowed persons who do not currently qualify for the lone parent allowance would benefit from the extension, the cost of the suggested change would be of the order of £34 million in a full year.
