[Angus]

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.