im so anxious about threats to cut ctc...

Regarding maintenance payments, isnt it because ...

only one third of ex's actually pay maintenance?
Is it because children of one parent families are twice as likely to live in poverty compared to a two parent family?
Is it because 39% of single P's own homes compared to nearly 80% of married parents? Is it because it costs more to calculate and means teast further the CTC's and leave lots of people out of claiming it and for the pittance it would save it would not be worth it?
Just out of interest, how many people get £2k form an ex in maintenance?!

I don't know who it was but someone way back on this thread said something about women and the effect of these cuts, cuts, cuts, in relation to child tax credits and women at work.
Anyway, I have also just discovered that 65% of public sector staff are in actuall fact female; who are about to/have lost jobs, experience pay cuts/freezes and loose CTC-sending families into impossible situations.

I find it puzzling what people here say about CTC's and public sector workers, what with most of us being female with all the same basic needs and desires. Those being, a roof, food, some contentment if possible, good education for our children and good health.

I am wondering if from some of those employed in the private sector it seems to be "envy" of the rights that the public sector has got at work in comparison. It strikes me that if someone else gets a bad deal...then everyone should. Is this a british thing? Why not this instead: if they get paid this that and the other for sick pay etc, then we should aswell and jolly well fight for it! Why is it not like this?

It just strikes me, that tomorrow will hit us hard and looking at what we think they might do to CTC's and public sector cuts, it will hit women [and therby their families].

If it hits us women it will hit of course our dear children.

What they really need to do to make tax credits fair is take maintenance into account. It isn't fair that someone who leaves her rich husband and gets £2k pcm maintenance from him gets the same tax credits as someone who gets nothing. I've never understood why they disregard maintenance and I think it's wrong.

I would happily more income tax. It is fairer as hits everyone proportionately.

jumpyjan I think it is more likely to be the new tax year to be honest. If they just withdrew peoples childcare support and other benefits over night the country would fall apart!

Even things that people do not need in the short term such as the child trust fund - we were told in May that it would be going in August.

I think if things like the health in pregnancy grant go they might stop that immediately - but people will need time for regular payments.

Here in Belgium ALL child care is tax decuctible and the commune run creches are means tested. Plus education here kicks in at 2.5 and is FREE. With wrap round childcare and holiday clubs. It is fantastic for working parents!

On the other hand I pay more than 50% of my salary in tax/NI. And I was not a higher rate tax payer in the UK.....

Jollypirate just because someone does not claim their child benefit or tax credits it does not mean they are rolling in money.

We don't claim ours and have to budget carefully.

Well just because they are going on and on about the need for timely cuts etc. I hope I'm wrong though!

Do you think so fifitot? I guess I think that too really but just hoping it will be effective from April 2011.

If you have a baby under one year old you can claim with an income up to 66k (or something like that) - it is a lower threshold if the child is older.

It depends on childcare costs and number of children too.

Jumpy - probably effective immediately I would expect.

I don't see how you get this from the calculator as I only get child benefit when I put that through for an income of 60K

Has anyone heard anything of when the cuts would be effective from (please let it be April 2011 & not immediately).

Has anyone heard anything of when the cuts would be effective from (please let it be April 2011 & not immediately).

fairymum, I just checked the calculator, the benefits don't get phased out until £68k even if only one parent is working.

Fairymum - yes great idea. Subsidised childcare would be great. Or tax free childcare.

One issue I thought of with that though is it reduces childcare costs for everyone. So the parents earning £200k a year get the benefit too. Or a SAHM could put a child in and get the reduced cost.

p.s. I am not saying SAHM's should not get benefits or put their children into nurseries just if reduced childcare was a way of supporting parents to work (and pay subsuquent taxes)

Wordsmith I see your point there. However I am guessing averaged out over the year it will probably be cheaper than fll time nursery care?

I pay at the moment (for 2 DC's) £1400 a month in nursery costs. When they are at school it will be more like £400 a month for breakfast / after school. On a middle income that is managable - £1400 a month is not!

I am not saying that people on a low income shouldnt continue to get the support - just perhaps people on a middle / higher income could get support during the first 5 years.

Peppapig -childcare costs don't stop once they reach school age - I am faced with the prospect of earning nothing in August, effectively, to pay for childcare so I can go to work. My kids are 10 and 6 and too young to be left home alone.

I don't think someone earning 65K is eligible for family tax credits. My BIL is earning 50K and he says his income is to high to make anyn claims.

I am not at all though. I am more at the childcare prices in the UK. I grew up in Sweden where I could have 3 if not 4 children in FT childcare for the price of one in the UK. Would it be better if we made the cost of a chiuldcare place cheaper? I pay 1200 a month for a child in FT nursery. Of course if you have more than one child and both parents want to work, then 65K is no longer a huge income.

I think this government is really taking from families who haven't got very much at all. Both me and DH are earning much more than the salaries of 35-40 discussed here and we won't really notice the budget at all. It is definatly not hitting people who could afford to pay more and I include myself in that category.

State benefits should be about ensuring children are not growing up in poverty. The fact that 90% of families in this country can claim these benefits does not seem right. These benefit should be available for the lowest earner, eg poorest 1/3 to 1/4 of families not the majority,

We can't claim it but I just looked at the online calculator and was that a family where the DH earns £65k and the mum is a SAHM could claim anything at all.

Agree with Peppa that support for childcare is an investment. It means women go back to work after mat leave which means they continue to contribute taxes, are much more likely to save for a pension and it also keeps people employed in the childcare sector. People with no pension plans and who might disappear from the tax-system for many years is a lot more expensive than family tax credits.

I really think childcare costs and family tax credits need to be separated.

As a middle earner we do rely on the childcare help (which is still actually less each month than we pay back in tax)

I am more than happy for them to take the £545. In fact I am more than happy once they are in school for them to take all tax credits and child benefit. It is just the childcare we struggle with which is a relatively short term and productive use of benefits / tax allowances (whatever you want to call it).

Perhaps one answer might be focusing increased payments for the first 5 years for all parents (to support to work through reduced childcare costs or to stay home). Then once in school they are ended or reduced depending on your income.

This of course only applies to families where no one needs to stay at home past school age to look after the children. That should be a completely different scenario and set of rules.