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Getting paid £3513.72 tax free per year for each 3rd, 4th or more child if on UC

197 replies

WishingIwasyoungerandslimmer · 26/11/2025 20:02

Is this really reasonable? For those working and just missing the eligibility criteria for Universal Credit, is it fair to them?

When would anyone working and just gettig by, be able to get an additional take home pay amount of £3513.72 per year for each child that you have? Have three children? Here's £10541.16. Got 4? That's £14054.88 . Have 5? Here's £17568.60. These figures are tax free amounts so the extra pay needed will be a lot more.

Did those calling for the two child cap to be lifted not understand the amounts of money that will be handed out if lifted?

Doesn't it just disincentivise parents from moving off Universal Credit into work or for those in work to try and get better paid jobs?

Isn't it a slap in the face for couples having to limit their family size to one or two children and to have to both work full time to support them through paid labour and paying taxes?

Surely if the government felt forced to scrap the two child cap, why not instead have reduced rates for each subsequent child? Apart from food, other costs will be less as the each new child has the use of older siblings old clothes, baby equipment etc.

The two child cap was popular for the majority of the country. It was popular with those that would have liked to have more children but cannot afford to do on the wages/salary they receive. Now over the next few years as it gets harder and harder to get by for those in work but not receiving benefits, the resentment will grow and grow. While those recipients of the UK's welfare state's largesse are saying, thank you very much, no need now for me to try and find work or work harder.

OP posts:
ThePolarEspresso · 27/11/2025 00:44

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/us/politics/trump-rubio-mass-migration.html

This is going to put the cat amongst the pigeons after the Budget.

If I was one of the 20 million Trump is talking about I would be selling my property at the top of the market and going home.

I wonder if he will send ICE in here and the army in to literate, in a few years?

I am guessing he will go for Canada first due to the over represention of white people killed there with MAID. There is huge BRICS national expansion going on there.

He has South Africa from BRICS already excluded from meetings, he made his thoughts clear to Russia/China/Iran, he would need lots of manufacturing in the USA before he tackles Indian expansion.

The U.S. Embassy in London. The State Department said last week that embassies were instructed to “report on the human rights implications and public safety impacts of mass migration.”

U.S. to Press Europe and Other Allies on Immigration, Document Says

American diplomats were told to raise U.S. concerns about “violent crimes associated with people of a migration background.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/us/politics/trump-rubio-mass-migration.html

Jewel52 · 27/11/2025 00:42

Dollymylove · 26/11/2025 20:36

Are you sure your sums are correct OP?
Child benefit £26.05 a week for the first child.
17.25 a week for each subsequent child

You’re confusing Child Benefit with Universal credit. The cap applied to Universal Credit payments based on dependents, only the first two dependent children were taken into account.

Rufflededge · 27/11/2025 00:40

Lifting children out of poverty, the bastards.

oviraptor21 · 27/11/2025 00:40

Jimpson · 26/11/2025 21:25

Yes, I do own so that could be the discrepancy I suppose.

Definitely. Sounds like the rent in that example is about £1k per month.

WishingIwasyoungerandslimmer · 27/11/2025 00:36

Negroany · 26/11/2025 23:21

It was pretty unpopular when it was introduced so I'm not sure how it has suddenly become popular.

It was popular with the majority of working non-benefit claiming families who had to limit themselves to one or two children, that is, if they could afford any at all.

It was unpopular with those claiming benefits who were not not working or doing the bare miminum of hours paid work, who wanted more children despite being on benefits. Also, popular with the MPs who believed that these people were more likely to support them at the ballot box if they shouted enough in Parliament about the unfairness of a reasonable policy.

It was also unpopular with those in "naice" areas who don't have to live next door to non working benefit recipients enjoying a near similar lifestyle but not "earning" it like their working non-benefit receiving neighbours. People who are are going to work, scraping by and having to make hard choices in many areas of their life that they didn't have to do before.

It's even more galling that the "Labour Party", the supposed party to champion people who labour at work, don't see the alienation and disillusionment their policies are causing to upper working class and lower middle class incomes.

OP posts:
ThePolarEspresso · 27/11/2025 00:31

RafaistheKingofClay · 27/11/2025 00:00

The solution to this is bursting the housing bubble and the government building a shit ton more social housing and/or rental controls to stop the cost of living spiralling out of control or being unaffordable for people working. The problem isn’t the mansion tax it’s that a ‘nice house in a nice area’ costs £2million in some places. That is an insane price. I’m sure it’s benefitted those that bought years ago and have watched the value of their property go up and up and up but I can’t see that it’s benefitted anyone else.

Fundamentally the issue this country has and is trying to solve is that the difference between those at the top and those at the bottom has grown and grown over the last decade. And those at the bottom are much worse off than they were. Either you solve this by increasing wages at the bottom in a way that doesn’t cause inflation or give a helping hand to those at the bottom through additional payments or making the costs of basics like housing and everyday expenses cheaper. And that is going to have to be paid for somehow.

Housing would be very cheap if there were 20 million less people, it seems high Abortion levels and assistance suicide are preferred to deportations.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 27/11/2025 00:25

Contraceptive manufacturers must be livid that sexual habits will now change due to the two child cap being lifted, at least, according to loons on the internet anyway.

RafaistheKingofClay · 27/11/2025 00:22

They are not mandatory but they are essential to a continued functioning of society and the country if we are also going to be annoyed at immigration being a thing.

MoonWoman69 · 27/11/2025 00:18

Children are not mandatory!
I know I won't be popular for my opinion, but I don't think anyone should have children if they can't afford them, it's totally irresponsible.
Why should I, as a tax payer, fund someone else churning out kids they can ill afford to have, then start bleating on about how they struggle? It makes no sense at all.
I have never understood child benefit if I'm honest, as over the years I've heard many women saying they can't wait for the payment to go in, so they can go get their nails or lashes done, or get the nice coat they've seen. How does that benefit a child?!
The whole thing needs scrapping to my mind.

RafaistheKingofClay · 27/11/2025 00:17

Volpini · 26/11/2025 22:50

I work f/t and earn £75000 - my monthly take home pay is £4100 (after pension contribution deductions and paying for private health care benefit.) I have two kids (and fortunately a husband who works ft.)
I thought I was doing alright!!! Now I’m not so sure!!!!

I think they have only crunched half of their numbers here. UC tapers. Assuming those are the figures before the minimum wage upgrade, then they will lose some UC at whatever the taper rate is once the minimum wage goes up. At which point it would become less than the take home wage on 35hrs minimum wage and I’d imagine that if Mia was also working 35hrs on minimum wage they may be entitled to some UC.

WonderingWanda · 27/11/2025 00:00

CeeJay81 · 26/11/2025 20:17

If someone in the family claims disability, the benefit cap doesn't count. So if you've got 6 kids and 1 gets dla, you will get a lot more money.

People with disabled children are unlikely to go rushing out to have more kids just so they can explore that fact, have you any idea the impact of raising a child with a disability? Providing constant care or dealing with a life threatening medical condition is exhausting.

RafaistheKingofClay · 27/11/2025 00:00

Dollymylove · 26/11/2025 21:42

And if you are lucky enough to scrape together the money to buy a nice house in a nice area along comes the "mansion tax" to kick you out on the streets.
Might as well not bother.
Now wonder people dont want to work 😡

The solution to this is bursting the housing bubble and the government building a shit ton more social housing and/or rental controls to stop the cost of living spiralling out of control or being unaffordable for people working. The problem isn’t the mansion tax it’s that a ‘nice house in a nice area’ costs £2million in some places. That is an insane price. I’m sure it’s benefitted those that bought years ago and have watched the value of their property go up and up and up but I can’t see that it’s benefitted anyone else.

Fundamentally the issue this country has and is trying to solve is that the difference between those at the top and those at the bottom has grown and grown over the last decade. And those at the bottom are much worse off than they were. Either you solve this by increasing wages at the bottom in a way that doesn’t cause inflation or give a helping hand to those at the bottom through additional payments or making the costs of basics like housing and everyday expenses cheaper. And that is going to have to be paid for somehow.

BringBackCatsEyes · 26/11/2025 23:55

Batmanisaplaceinturkey · 26/11/2025 23:52

She can have another child now, to stay out of work.

You really think there are going to be thousands of parents having 5,6,7 children just to be able to claim benefits for life?

Batmanisaplaceinturkey · 26/11/2025 23:52

BringBackCatsEyes · 26/11/2025 23:48

Won't Mia have to look for work once the youngest child turns 3?

She can have another child now, to stay out of work.

thewintergarden · 26/11/2025 23:51

BringBackCatsEyes · 26/11/2025 23:48

Won't Mia have to look for work once the youngest child turns 3?

Not now... She can just pop out another child instead.... And then their house will be overcrowded and she'll get a priority place on the waiting list for a big council house. ...

BringBackCatsEyes · 26/11/2025 23:48

Volpini · 26/11/2025 22:50

I work f/t and earn £75000 - my monthly take home pay is £4100 (after pension contribution deductions and paying for private health care benefit.) I have two kids (and fortunately a husband who works ft.)
I thought I was doing alright!!! Now I’m not so sure!!!!

Won't Mia have to look for work once the youngest child turns 3?

thewintergarden · 26/11/2025 23:47

TheFairyCaravan · 26/11/2025 23:46

I think it was unwise to lift the cap completely. If she wanted to lift it at all, which I don’t agree with it, then she should have capped it at 4 imo.

People need to take responsibility for themselves. DS2 & DDIL have one child. They’re both nurses and own their own home but are trying to work out if they can afford another one or not. That’s what everyone should be doing before they have children.

And yes, I know circumstances can change. That happened to me. I became disabled and unable to work. If we’d have had more than 2 kids we’d have gone under.

I'd rather see more money going into schools and other ways it is targeted directly at the children rather than going to the parents where they can spunk it all on vapes and manicures

TheFairyCaravan · 26/11/2025 23:46

I think it was unwise to lift the cap completely. If she wanted to lift it at all, which I don’t agree with it, then she should have capped it at 4 imo.

People need to take responsibility for themselves. DS2 & DDIL have one child. They’re both nurses and own their own home but are trying to work out if they can afford another one or not. That’s what everyone should be doing before they have children.

And yes, I know circumstances can change. That happened to me. I became disabled and unable to work. If we’d have had more than 2 kids we’d have gone under.

BringBackCatsEyes · 26/11/2025 23:42

ivyleafgeranium · 26/11/2025 22:19

There is also the “trickle up” argument. If you give money to those that don’t have much they will spend it. They won’t stick it in a cash ISA! So even if they do spend it on vapes and takeaways it helps grow the economy. If the economy grows we all benefit. That’s the theory anyway.

Wow, there's some broad stereotyping about people on low incomes there.
Maybe people on low incomes are not in a position to invest their money, but perhaps they spend it on clothing, or food, or their homes.

Ladamesansmerci · 26/11/2025 23:38

The child benefit cap does not prevent adults from making poor decisions. It will never reduce the amount of children some people choose to have. The reasons people have more children than they can afford in not ideal circumstances are very complex.

All it has ever done is punish children. Children should not carry the burden of poverty and be punished for the choices of their parents.

People moaning about 'handouts' to the poor don't seem to be able to reflect that it is incredibly difficult to break the poverty cycle and to climb the social ladder. I just can't fathom begrudging children things like free school meals, and an extra £50 or whatever it is a week. You are already at a significant disadvantage in life if you are born into a poor socioeconomic background. It is one of the biggest predictors of things like health outcomes, educational outcomes, and so on.

Jellycatspyjamas · 26/11/2025 23:29

Sartre · 26/11/2025 20:08

There’s zilch evidence the cap prevented poor people from having more than two children. All it was successful at was driving those kids into more poverty. It was a cruel cap, directed at the ‘feckless’ poor who people for some reason think just sit around having children to get more benefits. I’m sure a few people like this do exist but they’re few and far between. Plus I just don’t think children should ever suffer.

Except for the fact that abortion rates significantly increased among women with two existing children, with the two child cap being cited as a significant factor in the decision to end the pregnancy.

ThePolarEspresso · 26/11/2025 23:27

The Green party deputy leader was gloating with joy about this on Twitter and his voters are elated at all the extra income to their households.

thewintergarden · 26/11/2025 23:23

Jade3450 · 26/11/2025 23:09

This is comparing apples and oranges though.

The people this thread is complaining about - those claiming UC for multiple children while not working - aren’t potential teachers, nurses or midwives who’ve simply opted out. They don’t have a degree of job prospects, nor the wherewithal or intelligence to get any.

Why? Because they might have grown up in poverty themselves, with poor or no parenting, they have low intelligence, possible abuse or exposure to additions, undiagnosed dyslexia or other issues, or simply because they had no guidance, no one to fight their corner.

It’s very, very hard to break out of that cycle.

I disagree. I know people doing exactly those types of jobs who opt to work minimum hours to get UC

I have offered people promotions with FT hours and they have chosen to stay in their lower graded PT job because they are better off.

Harpertron · 26/11/2025 23:22

How do we know the children will benefit from it? It may just go in the parent/s pockets?! The country didn't want this but as usual, tax payers have to pay for it.

BellesAndGraces · 26/11/2025 23:21

Imissgoldengrahams · 26/11/2025 20:48

I have four dc.
Never had more children than "necessary" to ever gain benefits.
Shit upbringing meant I was never going to get a job that pays beyond min wage. Been on job seekers, income support and now UC and probably will be on it for life sadly.
And this is after moving from a retail position, to a management position within an NHS building so I have tried to better myself, have tried to earn more as I hate being reliant on benefits but lifting it is a good thing imo.

So why did you have 4 children, instead of the 1 child have because I couldn’t afford more?