Should child benefit be means tested?

Of course one of the benefits of cuitting spending is lower taxes which means more money for everyone.

NO, absoulutely NOT!

It surely wouldn't be that hard to administer as everyone who would be eligible would also be eligible for tax credits so would be quite simple as it would all go through same system.

I read the report and I think that abolishing even half of that stuff would be excellent.

But - you know that whoever is in power next year will just grab the easiest option - oh, yes. Child Benefit. Those softy middle income earners won't make any fuss. Let's nick that. Too hard to tackle public sector pay and pensions. And can't upset the oldies. Too many voters. No, it's got to be Child Benefit.

When I have finished my studies and am back to higher rate we will stop claiming it. I take the point about childcare so perhaps it should be universal until school age and then means tested when the highest costs of childcare have passed.
(just reiterating I am only talking about families where BOTH parents earn enough to pay higher rare tax)

Thing is, it would change over time. When ds1 was born 17 years ago we were on, I dunno, maybe £40k pa between us, but now q. a lot more than that. It would be quite complicated to administer & would have to be based on your P60s for the previous year I suppose

Lods of stuff has to be abolished because of the financial mess that Gordon Brown led us into.

No more bust and boom... doesn't say that anymore.

Yes it should be means tested in some form or another, although not sure about the £50k limit or the idea of any arbitrary cut off.

Our household income is significantly more than that and I think it's ludicrous that we are entitled to CB and to £190 in pregnancy to buy bananas or whatever I'm supposed to use it for.

Clearly there are many people in far more need of that money than us.

They are proposing to abolish ID cards, sure start, education maintenance allowance - loads of stuff!

No. So many benefits don't get taken up because they are difficult to apply for and the whole bloody system is confusing. This would just make it worse.However well intentioned it always seems to betrhat those who most need the help end up getting squeezed out.
I claimed for DS1 and Ds2 but we had much more money after that so have never claimed for DD. I can't believe that I am the only one who doesn't claim because they don't need it.

Is the Tax Payer's Alliance a right wing think tank?

Pressure group more.

The trouble with £50k (or any arbitrary figure) is that to some people it's a hell of a lot of money and more than enough to have a very comfortable life with, and to other's it's about the right amount to pay your horrible mortgage and run the car (just)

For instance - if we'd bought a house 10 years ago (nearly did) our mortgage would be half of what it is now. much of it would be paid off, and assuming our salary would be similar, we'd have at least another £500 a month to spend on anything we liked!

The TPA are an independent think tank, the main aim is to lobby for lower taxes and no EU - as I understand it, met the Campaign Director at an event a few weeks ago.

No. Because it is child benefit - for the child.

yes it's a right-wing think tank

mumblechum, it's not compulsory to claim it.

NO! and £50k is such an arbitary figure. it doesn't take into account any expenses that people have. We earn a bit over £50k and need the child benefit, it pays for things such as food for DS.

If i was just taxed less in the first place then i might be able to afford to live without my tax credits but need the Child Benefit.

Suppose we could sell the house: oh that's not really possible in the currently climate is it as the mortgage is not much less than the value of the house.

I thought the Tax Payers' Alliance was to stick up for the middle man, but if they think £50k a year is peanuts then they're obviously representing those with very much larger pay checks.

Yes but only if they abolished the farce that is tax credits and had one universal child benefit system on a means tested sliding scale where more money was given to the poorest families whilst the over 100K earners get nothing.

Haven't read the thread but yes I think it should be means tested. We get it, it disappears into God knows what black hole of a bank account & we wouldn't notice if it didn't come in.

Is the Tax Payer's Alliance a right wing think tank?

I know but we'll have a to wait a while before we can say Prime Minister Cameron.

wonderstuff, raising VAT is not a good idea. Everyone pays VAT on goods and services regardless of their income and so although you may not notice the increase lots of people on a low income would.

The Tories have pledged to cancel the ID card scam, but the Labour party have deliberately designed it so most of the money has already been wasted.

I think tax credits should be reduced and child benefit increased.