Letter: Fathers of families

Sir: Anyone who protests against the proposed abolition of the married couple's tax allowance (report, 5 November) is surely driven by self-interest. Cohabiting childless couples, both married and unmarried, enjoy a massive financial advantage over single people.

Virtually the same electricity and gas charges; only 50 per cent more community charge; the possible sharing of a car; lower food costs; cheaper holidays; dependants' pensions from occupational pension schemes: the list could be much longer.

This ridiculous gift should have been stopped years ago. Presumably the Government has now calculated that, whatever the Daily Mail might say about the family, the votes of the 5 million or so people who live alone are also important.

Dr JONATHAN BAGNEY

Todmorden, Lancashire