PART-TIME workers in Ellesmere Port and Neston are set to lose £45 a week in working tax credits after changes to qualifying hours.

The number of hours needed to qualify for the payments has increased from 16 to 24, the GMB congress was told.

A total of 20% of GMB members working in retail report they may be better off on the dole after the tax credits changes in the last budget, as two-thirds stand to lose more than a quarter of their weekly income.

In Cheshire West and Chester there were 21,600 in recipient families in work receiving child tax credits and working tax credits as of December 2011.

The value of the credits for 2010-2011 was £3,922 for all in work families.

Part-time workers in the North West receiving the credits face a loss of £45 per week on average as the changes in WTC announced at the last Budget come into effect, the GMB congress was told.

Under new rules, from April 2012, couples earning less than £18,000 a year have had to increase their working hours from a minimum of 16 hours a week to 24 – or lose their working tax credit of up to £3,870 per year or £74.23 per week.

A GMB analysis of recipient families in work receiving child tax credits (CTC) and working tax credits in the North West shows there were 534,800 families receiving £4,532 per year or £87.15 per week.