Do we really need more benefits paid out to pregnant mums?

[eyeshade]

I understand that the chancellor wants to pay even more money in the last weeks of pregancy! Why??? Surely the benefit system is giving and has been giving more than it should over the last decade. This money could be spent on so much more. We are the worst country for unmarried teenage pregnancies, this is going to make the matter a whole lot worse surely? What does everyone else think?

[Carby]

To be honest if there up the crank, then it's there problem not ours!

[eyeshade]

Well it is your problem because you're paying for it unless of course your on benefits then you're not!

[Carby]

ok, calm down. Let me rephrase that. It shouldn't be our problem if they have gotten themselves up the duff..

[eyeshade]

Er.... no the pregancy issue isn't our problem of course not, but money being thrown at them by way of a handout from the taxes we pay is and it is not acceptable as far as I am concerned, if you are ok with it then fine.

[redcrx]

personally Id much rather see the benefits given in a different way. Vouchers for clothes, food, shoes and electricity / gas etc rather than cash. I know this can still be abused but at least those few that have kids as a means to an income may think twice about it.

Some areas are now giving vouchers for fresh veg but surely this should have been coming out of the parents benefits in the first place.

[Lonnie]

I think the real problem, is that the more money you throw at them, (and its not just pregnant mums, although thats the present topic), the more dependant on the State they become. The State actually takes the place of the family breadwinner,

Criminal,

[WendyS]

I'm not in favour. The more benefits we pay out, the more we create a climate of dependency which does nothing to encourage the attitude of taking personal responsibility for one's actions. If we carry on at this rate we will eventually have more people in this country living on benefits than we have a working population, and who then is going to generate enough tax to fund education, health, defence and the general fabric of our society?

[harleybobs]

Im a married tax paying mother who did work prior to having my son I dont belive in anyone just getting pregnant just for the benifits, but what I do think is if they pay out tax relief to mums that put there children into childcare, then us mothers who choose to bring up our children ourselves why dont we get given the money, trying to get us to go back to work by not giving us any financial help is a violation of our rights not being able to see our children growing, hearing their first word, taking their first step why should childminders get paid for the privilage. I tell you what is not right that they throw money at people who dont even come from this country and have never paid one penny in any of our taxes.

[eyeshade]

Harleybobs, I fully agree with you!! Especially your last sentence, this also applies to health care, if you have health care in any other country and you are not a national citizen, you have to pay your medical invoice before you check out, this country does nothing! Although I don't see that any money handed out by the government is a violation of anyones rights? In that case why doesn't a person who chooses not to have children why don't they get monies for not having any and staying at work, why is it not their right too? I don't think anyone has any rights on other peoples money but the government seem to think everyone wants to have children, most of us can't afford to!

[madamspud169]

If more money is going to be given then it will be taken away in another area, maybe less child benefit or something like that.

The reason there is so many unmarried pregnancies is partly down to the financial benefits in being a single parent. The government seem to reward single parents and punish the parents who choose to stay together. Financially, my partner and I are struggling just to keep our heads above water and when we worked it out, if we split up and I became a single parent, not only would I be better off I would be quite comfortable financially.

[poopy]

Well thats disgraceful. Giving the young teenage girls more of an excuse to have babies with no fathers. Isnt a free council house enough for them!?

[Kelmscott]

Sorry eyeshade, that may have been true in the 40s when the NHS was founded, but not now. If you ask in the post office for a copy of "Health Advice for Travellers" you will see how to get the same free treatment as their citizens in more than 50 countries. In return,their citizens get the same here. All other Nationals pay here, except in emergency. It brings in a small but welcome income for our NHS, many of whose staff were trained at the expense of other countries of course.

[eyeshade]

Nope I don't think so, in the 1940's we didn't have benefits for pregnant mothers let alone giving out a cash windfall in the last few weeks. I don't think we are talking about the same thing. This is about the government giving extra handouts of cash to pregnant women in the last few weeks of their pregnancy. My question is why? the money would be better spent on health care for the elderly who have already paid more than their share of NHS costs over the years and paid dearly in other ways.