Child benefit cuts
 

Sorry but should people whos household income is at least £44,000 really be whinging about not getting an extra £50 a week? They need to look at the bigger picture, there are people out there living off child benefits altogether with no extra income

Do what I heard suggested today, Women who just sit at home and have 5-6 kids, well only let them get benefits for only two children.

50?

Its £20.30 for the first qualifying child then £13.40 for each qualifying child after that.

It doesnt really make much difference to people with over 44 grand a year does it? Unless their budget counts on it.

There is the slight disparity that a family with a single earner earning £45 thousand wont get it. Yet a family with two earners earning up to £80+ thousand between them will.

But the line for qualifying had to be drawn somewhere. Maybe the govt should have said total family earnings over 44 grand.

I agree, whatever qualifying limit they would have said there would have been uproar, it was a lose lose situation. At least they've given plenty of notice though.

People who earn over 44k can still have debt.

What is basically pocket money to said people isn't going to solve their debts

I agree that it should be total earnings rather than one persons earnings but the way the media are going on about it you'd think they're axing half of their salary and its the end of the world instead of them just not getting child benefit anymore

I dont think thats the issue though, I just think its tougher for someone on say 20K to lose that money rather than someone on 44K who could budget to deal with the loss of the money...

Well, cutbacks have to be made...

Well maybe if you ever know someone who earns over 44k and isn't in the picture perfect idea everyone seems to have that their loaded you'll think differently.

yeah, my mum. She never claimed child benefit and was perfectly comfortable

me & my girlfriend don't even earn £44k between us and we're fine with a lot of excess and probably won't claim should we have a kid

its not so much being loaded, just more being comfortable and such a small amount of money (to some) is going to make minimal difference

Your mum isn't the advertisment for every person who earns over 44k in the world.

So? I'm just putting a point across that you can earn that much money and still live a comfortable life without the need for benefits. If you get into debt when you earn high amounts then its your own fault, you should live by your means instead of wanting what you cant have. the 'poorest' people affected by this will be earning £2800 minimum per month after tax, do you really think child benefit is going to bridge a gap between being in debt and not being in debt?

I'm not disputing that you can :bored: And that's the biggest pile of **** I've ever heard. If you get into debt it's your own fault? My dad has been ill for a hell of alot of his working career when I was young and my mum was the only one working and built up a tons of debt from looking after him and a baby with numerous other unforseen circumstances that hit the family. Your actually telling me that it's now her fault that she has 25,000 worth of debt and every month that her wage comes in she's already overdrawn? You need a shake.

Were your mum & dad both earning 44k+ each?

No, you really think she'd be in debt if she was getting an additional 44k wage sick pay!?

Well you can hardly apply your situation to the people who are losing child benefit then

I'm not saying about everyone in debt, its unavoidable for some people, but for people who are on high wages (bearing in mind the average wage is around £19k) if you manage to get yourself in debt then its your own fault

My parents are seperated, it's just my mum's wage that counts. My point isn't that MY particular family will suffer anyway, they won't I'm 18. It's the fact that you can't just say that everyone who earns over 44k will be fine with losing child benefit. That's not true.

I earnt a lot of respect for the Tories for this.

You don't choose to get Child benefit. You GET it. You don't claim it. Once you have a child the parent gets it, full stop. It's a general thing. Not a benefit like signing on you nana

What is wrong with means testing child benefit? It was introduced in 1977 to help families feed and clothe their children and should never have been available to high income families. However, over the years the system has been abused by scroungers and feckless young girls who carry on having children they cannot afford to bring up themselves. I had to bring up two sons on my own when I divorced and whilst the child benefit was extremely useful and it was spent on the CHILDREN, I didn't consider it a right or an entitlement, and would have supported any move to cut it back or even abolish it then, as well.

Well it is still going to be paid to families who earn under £44K so what is all the outrage about? The Tories need to go further and make it payable only for the first two children. There should also be some way of ensuring the money is actually spent on the CHILDREN and not seen as pocket money for mum and dad. Most families, even earning £44K or more, plan their families within their means, and people who wish to have large families should support their OWN children since it is their choice to have more than 2.
It annoys me that some parents who have never worked a day in their lives so as to contribute anything to society, can blithely carry on having children that other people are effectively supporting.

And why the hell are we giving child benefit payments to eastern european immigrant workers who send it back home to the tune of millions? Has this country completely taken leave of its senses? Why are we funding child benefit payments for children living in their home countries of Poland, Rumania etc? These payments should be STOPPED immediately, there is no justification for British workers funding the children of economic immigrants. That would slash the welfare burden quite considerably and free up more money for those in this country who have actually CONTRIBUTED throughout their working lives, like pensioners.

IF you listen to the reasons why,and the details you will see they are right!!!

Spot on Angus,people need to read the details and understand why this is a good thing.

If you're THAT principled, you can opt out, maybe that's what is meant. Unfortunately, a lot of people who don't really need it, take it anyway.

Just to correct you there, child benefit is only paid to those whose children are resident in the UK

But just to really hack you off, migrant workers from EEA countries can claim Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, which adds up to a lot more money in their pocket than Child Benefit.

Unfortunately not a lot can be done about that as its one of the benefits of the EEA policies that workers can pick up tax allowances from their own country and the country they work in.

Its good to know should you decide to work in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, or Slovenia you will be able to sign up for the pittances oops allowances their workers get.

I agree that whatever the threshold they decided on it would p*** off some people so that part of it is fine. If they decided on 44k thats fine its fair and reasonable.
But its the absurdity of the fact that two joint incomes can be earned up to £86999 and they get it but a household where a mother or father has made the decision to be a stay at home parent earning £44000 lose out. Its ridiculous. And £44000 is a great income in some areas of the country but in other expensive areas its not especially high if you have a mortgage and children.
And the higher earners are supporting the 'poor and vulnerable' - well that is not necessarily the case. I come into contact with lots of families in my job and I would say that the 'poor and vulnerable' on different benefits - their children have a lot more games consoles, TV's in all their bedrooms, latest up to the minute phones, sky TV and basically every damn gadget and new craze that comes onto the market - whereas so called 'well off 'families cannot afford afford any of this stuff. And they could do with the extra towards school uniforms, school trips, christmas, birthdays, university fees etc as much as anyone. And they pay enough god damn tax and national insurance - why shoudn't they