What’s tax got to do with it?

Tax has a significant impact on gender equality.

It’s the main way we pay for public expenditure, the public services and social security that we all need.

Because women look after others more than men, often at the expense of their own incomes, they use public services more and more of their income comes from social security.

Consequently, the overall level of taxation is a gender issue.

Since 2010 there have been a series of cuts to income tax, corporation tax and fuel duty that will cost the country £41 billion a year by 2020. The main beneficiaries of these tax cuts have been men. At the same time women have been hit hardest by cuts to public services and benefits.

So what are the party manifestos promising on tax at this election, and how would their proposals impact on women?