Poll required - child benefit

[Eileithyiaa]

Having had a positive response on another thread, I'm wondering what the wider MN community think about this.

If you are in the fortunate position of not relying on your monthly child benefit payment, as in you don't even notice it hitting your bank, would you donate it directly to a family living in poverty who that £80 would make the world of difference?

I would do this myself, if I could guarantee the money was going directly to a family genuinely in need, and not just being absorbed back into the system.

How could this be facilitated?

Or you could just not claim your child benefit?

Yes, but then it will just get absorbed straight back into the system and the benefit to somebody else won't be tangible. Whereas if there was a way to guarantee somebody actually received that amount then yes I would do that. But there is currently no gov system that enables somebody to receive additional payment on the back of somebody donating their own.

Direct debit to a food bank?

And how do you decide who is worthy of your generosity?
How is less being drawn from the system a bad thing?

I see what you're trying to say, but struggle to see how it would actually work in real terms.

As a PP suggested, perhaps a regular donation to a food bank or breakfast club would be a better option?

Yes I like the direct debit to a food bank option.

That's the pinch point - deciding who is eligible and who isn't.

Food bank or schools might have a fund that they use to subsidise school trips for those who can’t afford them that sort of thing.
Or random acts of kindness anonymously. One month £80 to school to pay for a residential trip for someone you know is struggling to afford it, next month £80 to the food bank, £80 in an envelope through the door to help someone pay for school uniforms....

I’d save it for my child in an account under their name if I didn’t need the money for their day to day needs. Why should a stranger take priority over your own child?

I guess it's because my child doesn't want or need for anything whereas there are some kids out there whose immediate needs for food/warm clothes are greater than hers. She already has a savings account and she's already in an advantaged position.

No. Money is just a sticking plaster and it’s better we make parents step up and make people more responsible for choices they make.

I’d rather see it scrapped and the money spent on schools, hospitals and social services/family support.

Or sponsor a child in a different country then you can get updates on their education and your child can learn about different cultures, often you can write to them and get a letter back. With an amount like that you could sponsor a child abroad AND contribute to a local food bank.

In what fucking way are you suggesting we make parents step up? What is it you think the majority of low income people aren’t doing?

And let’s not start the wide screen tv and fags shite. There are a few families out there living in chaotic lives but the majority of low income families are not and their jobs are disappearing faster than a british summer at present.