大象传媒

Ahead of the budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP talks to the 大象传媒鈥檚 Andrew Marr.

He described the tax credit system was "very expensive", costing the government 拢30bn - "three times the Home Office budget" - and the housing benefit bill as "a major component" of the government's budget.

"We're going to make sure that those on high incomes living in subsidised council housing pay something closer to the market rent... We鈥檝e got to have a welfare system that is fair to those who need it, but also fair to those who pay for it," he said.

He also confirmed that the benefit cap outside London would be less that 拢23,000.

"If I'm not making savings in welfare." added Mr Osborne, "then I'm having to come after public services and make savings there... and I don't think that's fair."