Some of the key events leading up to the House of Lords showdown over George Osborne's cuts to tax credits.

October 1999 Gordon Brown Working family tax credit introduced by Labour chancellor Gordon Brown

April 2003 Further reforms to the system by Mr Brown result in the working tax credits and child tax credits that still exist. Child tax credits provide support for families with children, whether in or out of work. Working tax credit provides support to people in low-paid jobs, aimed at making sure that it pays to be in employment rather than rely solely on benefits.

30 April 2015 The Tories go into the general election promising to cut a further £12 billion from the welfare bill. On BBC1's election Question Time special, David Cameron is challenged about the prospect of cuts to child tax credits. The Prime Minister said: "No, I don't want to do that."He also told BBC Breakfast at the time: “We have been very clear child benefit is staying. We’re keeping it, not cutting it. I believe strongly in child benefit. With me child benefit stays as it is. I have been very clear on child benefit, I couldn’t be clearer."

8 July 2015 In his first Budget as Chancellor in a majority Conservative government, George Osborne introduces measures to cut £4.4 billion from tax credits. He argues that expenditure more than trebled in real terms between 1999-2000 and 2010-11, with total expenditure in 2014-15 estimated to be around £30 billion. Changes to be introduced from April 2016 include reducing the income threshold at which tax credits start to be withdrawn from £6,420 to £3,850 and increasing the rate at which the money is withdrawn from 41% to 48%, so that tax credits reduce more sharply as income increases. Child tax credits will be limited to two children for new claims and births after April 2017.

15 September 2015 MPs approve the new thresholds and taper rates for April 2016 by 325 vote to 290, a majority of 35.

15 October 2015 Amid mounting concern from Tory MPs about the impact the proposals will have on low-income workers, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd is challenged about the policy on BBC's Question Time by an emotional Conservative supporter who was close to tears as she described how she would struggle to make ends meet once her credits were withdrawn. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described her emotional appeal as "gut-wrenching", accusing the Conservatives of having "misled" voters during the election campaign.

20 October 2015 Tory MP Heidi Allen uses her maiden speech in the Commons to attack the policy, claiming it was going "too hard and too fast" and "too many people will be adversely affected". A Labour motion calling for the planned cuts to be reversed was defeated by 317 to 295, majority 22.