TORY tax credit cuts will push 200,000 children into poverty next year.

According to recent figures, almost 19 per cent of children in New Forest West already live in poverty.

Barnardo's says when the income threshold above which tax credits are tapered away, falling from £6,420 to £3,850 in April 2016, the number of children living in poverty will soar further.

Some families are set to lose £1,200 a year with cuts to child tax credit impacting on the poorest 30 per cent of families.

However, despite concerns, the Government says it will significantly reduce the amount of money families receive, by removing tax credit support earlier and faster from people in low paid work but claims the changes will be offset by a minimum wage increasing to £7.20 in April 2016.

Now hundreds of New Forest folk are calling on MP Desmond Swayne, who voted in favour of tax credit cuts, to stop the cuts with hundreds signing the 38 Degrees campaign.

The move has sparked outrage among Ringwood and Fordingbridge residents who claim those children affected by the cuts would be predominantly in working households and that poverty would dramatically increase despite the introduction of a higher national living wage.

Campaigns manager Amy Lockwood said: “People across the UK are waiting for their MPs to stand up for local working families. How would any MP be able to look a constituent in the eye after these cuts?

“Osborne’s plans will simply punish people on low wages who work hard, but still don’t have enough to make ends meet. It will push many families to breaking point."

A Ringwood mum, who did not wish to be named, said: "Tax credits help me run my car and buy food. Without this addition to my wages, I will probably have to give u my car, which of course will have serious implications on family life.

"It just seems so unfair when the threshold of inheritance tax will be cut and tax paid by the highest earners was cut, yet the poorest families are being squeezed."

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said: “Children who grow up poor are more likely to be ill, do worse at school and be jobless in future. The Government needs to protect vital tax credits, or else risk consigning more children to poverty.”

The petition to stop tax credit cuts can be found here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stop-tax-credit-cuts