Tax for Gender Equality
Our current tax system doesn’t treat everyone equally. For example, women, especially single mothers and carers, are impacted the most by tax policies that don’t reflect their needs.
Why should tax policy consider gender? Because tax is a powerful tool for fairness.
The issue is clear:
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Women depend more on public services
Women are more likely to rely on services like childcare, healthcare, and social care. When these services are underfunded, women are disproportionately affected.
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Regressive taxes hit low-income women hardest
Women on low incomes contribute more than their fair share, through regressive taxes like VAT and Council Tax, while wealth remains under-taxed, amounting to a tax break for wealthy men.
We can transform our tax system into a powerful ally for gender equality through:
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A gender-sensitive tax system
By considering how taxes impact women, we can create a system that supports gender equality and invests in the services women need.
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Fairer taxes, better services
Fair taxation enables quality public services, benefitting everyone, but women and families the most, and particularly those from marginalised groups.