Cornish working families in receipt of tax credits face hidden cuts of up to £30 per week with the introduction of new universal benefits, says the trade union GMB Wales and South West.

In December 2016 there were 28,600 working families in Cornwall in receipt of child or working tax credits worth an average of £117 per week, says the union.

From April 6, most people will only get the child element of child tax credit for up to two children meaning there will be no financial support within child tax credit or Universal Credit for any third or subsequent child born after that date, says the GMB. 

Working age benefits have also been frozen until April 2020 with, say campaigners, no increases to take into account the rise in living costs.