Are The Recently Announced Child Benefit Cuts Fair?

[AB Editor]

Individuals earning more than £44,000 will no longer gain child benefit, whereas a family with earnings of anything up to around £80,000 will still be in receipt of Child Benefit, is this a fair cut?

 

This poll is closed.

Are the recently announced child benefit cuts fair?

• Not Fair - 32 votes
• 65%
• Fair - 17 votes
• 35%

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Stats until: 13:53 Sat 21st Dec 2024 (Refreshed every 5 minutes)

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[Bobbisox]

exactly ayg
there is now a whole generation who have never known what it is like to get up and do a days work, we were discussing this at the weekend (me and Bill)
I suggested, why not a 'table ' where the claimant had to do 16hrs voluntary/cleaning work per week, if they didn't turn up for 4 of those hrs then their benefits could be cut accordingly, and so on

[Davethedog]

As another point - I have always thought that child benifit should be in the form of vouchers. That way those who actualy spend it on the child don't get thier noses put out of joint.

And those that spend it on beer fags, and mortgages :-), can't

[Bobbisox]

a very good point Dave x

[LoftyLottie]

The problem is what could you spend the vouchers on? Children's clothes perhaps might be a good idea, to include uniforms? This would then encompass all all groups. Then I think it might be a good idea of yours Dave.

[LoftyLottie]

'all age groups'

[Bobbisox]

I believe they already get help in that quarter LL

[Davethedog]

LL I agree its not full proof, but I think the government should be looking at abuse of the system, and how to stop it, rather than possibly denying help to those that genuinely need it.

[LoftyLottie]

Only the very poorest Bobbi. And believe me you do have to be almost destitute to get help with school uniforms. Clothing vouchers could include nappies through to teenage clothing and, of course, shoes. (Although I think that where possible towelling nappies should be used - disposable nappies are dreadful things and not very eco friendly)

[LoftyLottie]

You are dead right Dave.

[ummmm]

Are you talking about abuse of Child Benefits?

I think it's abuse of the normal benefits that needs to be worried about. Some people rely on their child benefits but also have a job. Why should they be told what it should go on.

[LoftyLottie]

But ummmm, the benefit should go on the child surely, even if you have a well paid job. It shouldn't just be looked at as an extra amount of money to spend as you please. How can you ensure that the children benefit from the money?

[Davethedog]

Ummmm - Not being funny, but why do you think its call child benefit, its to be spent on children. And if you are asking for the state to help you how could you question how that benefit is delivered?

[LoftyLottie]

ummmm. As a Mum, would you object if you got vouchers to spend on child specific things rather than the cash. It wouldn't have worried me at all.

[Whoever]

Frankly, whilst I do think that better off families can afford to manage without child benefit, I am perplexed that two high earners can still quality, whilst one is cut off. I believe it is something to do with the complexity of the system which administers it but my reaction would be to spend a little more time and thought fixing the system, rather than living with the inherent unfairness of this. If the changes are not due to take place until 2013, surely there is time to do this?

[ummmm]

Children also need gas, electricity, water, clean bedding, school trips...etc etc.

If a parent/s work then they should be given cash. They are responsible enough to have a job..they are responsible enough to know how to spend money. It's the benefits scroungers that are the problem.

People fit to work on long term benefits, yes, they should probably get vouchers. But not the honest working people who just don't happen to have a well paid job.

[VHG]

>>where the claimant had to do 16hrs voluntary/cleaning work per week

And who monitors and manages this?

Do you have a person standing around WATCHING someone cleaning to make sure they do it?

Who makes sure they do a GOOD job and dont just SAY they have done the job (but have just stood around chatting).

A few years ago I read a letter in the paper where a mother had a teenage son who had been told to do so many hours community work.

Each week he got ready to go, and they got a phone call each morning saying "dont bother to come we have nobody to look after you".

The idea is good in principle but very hard to do in practice.

[jno]

"a whole generation who have never known what it is like to get up and do a days work"


awww, come on, Bobbi, the youth unemployment rate is about 18% I think - and that includes students. Hardly a whole generation; maybe a sixth of one. And inability to find work isn't necessarily their fault, whatever R1Geezer may think.

[brenda]

Another badly thought out scheme ----- does nothing for the poorer income families.

80K total income and supported in CB by the state --- disgusting.

[LoftyLottie]

jno. My son is one of this 'whole' generation. Gets up and leaves for work at 7.30am and rarely home before 7.30 in the evening and was even doing some work during his holidays recently when he was also busy with his house renovations. All his friends are in work and work hard. Certainly they work a lot harder than my generation did at their age - the swinging sixties when life was a doddle