Changes in Child Benefit.

[Pumpkin Pie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/business-17854937" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Changes in Child Benefit come into force tomorrow. Are these changes fair? Do you think Child Benefit should be abolished for all?

[hermanmunster]

going to cost far more in assessing whether people need to pay it back than it costs in paying it out in the first place....!!

also always understood that one advantage of the whole universal CB was having a database of all the kids in the country and where they lived and who was caring for them... etc etc .. maybe they aren't too bothered about losing track of some kids!

[Amber]

I have a kind of reflex distaste for the idea of being paid to produce children; it doesn't really fit with our model of welfare state, which is an uncomfortable one based on targeting the 'lower end' of society to 'raise them out of poverty'. Actually a false ideology because the very act of targeting perpetuates inequality...but this country would never live with a social democratic model like they have in Scandinavia where all pay in (highly) and all, crucially, take out. 'Fair' is a small word with a lot of meaning and often those in the most need (the disabled, the elderly, the mentally ill) do not have access to anything we might call fair. I cannot at all see how universal child benefit sits with our supposed concern with 'the poorest in society' and have actually talked to parents who really do have babies for the extra money. In short, it should never have been started, in my own view, but I cannot see how it will ever stop without an uproar, especially as the method of stopping it contains the massive flaw that £50 000 plus £50 000 does not equal £100 000.

It is a bit like free NHS care for everyone, whether they have advanced cancer or an ingrowing toenail; which is actually totally unsustainable now that we have such a massive, ageing population and there are so many expensive treatments available - but no politician will ever dare to tackle that one. It is a metaphor for the whole English political system in my view - ill conceived, ill thought through, lacking any sound theoretical basis, but so much part of the 'hearts and minds' (what a silly phrase) of the people that we can expect weeping outside Downing Street and tear-jerking tales of woe with in the Daily Mail now it is being challenged.

[Guest55]

I think it's unfair that only one income is being taken into account. I do not think it should be an universal benefit as the country just can't afford it.

Each parent could earn £49 000 and they would still get Child Benefit - but a one income family on £50 000 is penalised.

[Reading Mum]

I agree that the joint versus single income calculation seems unfair. I have a friend with a severely disabled child, plus 2 others, who cannot work but her hubby earns just over £60k so it is a bit chunk of money being taken away.
We no longer get it and never really needed it so that's fine - the money has to come from somewhere and I would rather the gov spent it on something necessary. I also used to know someone who saw CB and council housing if she had lots of kids as a career choice

[Pumpkin Pie]

Yes, I too feel that it is very unfair that only ONE income is being taken into account here. So unfair!

[Tinkers]

It's unfair that both incomes aren't taken into account. We have opted out so won't get it any more. DH doesn't currently do a tax return and sees no point of having to do one to pay back all the CB.

[hermanmunster]

I am still going to take it - won't have to pay it back for a year or so and have to do SA anyway

[ginx]

Herman, we're staying in. Dh owns just a bit over £50,000 so he's asked his employers (who haven't said) whether they could put it in a pension fund; failing that, he'll take a pay cut.

We have four children. £242 a month is a lot to lose. I think it's terribly unfair. Why is it one income? Surely only somebody stupid would think of that?

[moved]

At one time we were going to lose it if we paid higher rate tax. As the threshold is coming down to £30k for that then I'm glad that I can keep the benefit. With rail fares costing £11k for the family out of taxed income were not left with much!