He points out that both the child allowance and age related benefits were introduced before the Second World War.

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The shadow chancellor also attacked the decision to freeze the age-related pension allowance, labelling it a "tax grab on pensioners".

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Most working age benefits, such as Jobseekers Allowance and Child Benefit, will go up by 1%, less than the rate of inflation, for the next three years.

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Chancellor George Osborne announced that most working age benefits, such as Jobseekers Allowance and child benefit, will go up by 1%, less than the rate of inflation, for the next three years.

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So most working-age benefits - including Jobs Seekers' Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Income Support - will be uprated by 1% for the next three years.

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The government says that, with public sector pay rises capped at 1%, a similar limit should apply to working-age benefits such as jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance and income support as well as elements of working tax credits and child tax credit.

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By the age of five, give your daughter and allowance and teach her how to spend, save and invest.

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The child simply receives a dollar allowance equal to his or her age.

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Chancellor George Osborne has proposed a cap of 1% - which is below the expected rise in the cost of living - on increases in most working-age benefits, such as Jobseeker's Allowance and maternity pay, and tax credits for three years from 2013-14.

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Universal credit - being introduced by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith this year - aims to simplify the welfare system by replacing a number of existing working-age benefits, including the income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment support allowance, housing benefit, working tax credit, child tax credit and income support.

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At 4.30pm the Work and Pensions Committee quizzes the final witnesses in its inquiry on Universal Credit, the new social security benefit which replaces Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credits, Housing Benefit and other working-age benefits with one single payment.

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