Child benefit increase of £2.20/month

[Cherms]

This is the only benefit we're entitled to but I believe it's indicative of the low increase in all benefits. How is an extra £2.20 a month supposed to help cover the cost of living increases for 2 young children? Food, utilities, clothing, transport. The literal basics. I know it is a contribution to their upbringing but it's clearly insufficient to mitigate against any of the huge cost rises. An impossible situation for those relying on it. And impossible to understand for those whose wife's dividends from one company earned her over £11m last year and for those whose home redecoration cost over £112k.

In the nicest way possible, if your income is high enough that you are only entitled to CB then you're in a better position than a lot of us.
I also understand that the cost of living has gone up for everyone and we are all tightening their belts, apart from those in their ivory towers who's tax bill in comparison to income is pittance.

With the new taper rate for UC have you checked if you're entitled?

I don't disagree at all and yes because that's all I'm entitled to I am very fortunate. I'm empathising with people who aren't in that position because it's a struggle for me so it must be a battle for others. I haven't had the heating on whilst I'm home during the day since 1st April. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford to turn it on when the kids come home. But the CB rise doesn't even cover one day of having the heating turned on. I just don't know how the government expects people who rely on benefits to afford feed etc their children. I'm sitting here watching the smart meter go up and up doing one load of clothes in a 2 year old machine. It's horrifying for me but 100x worse for others.

The government will come up with excuse after excuse when their MPs earn £80k a year. Even BoJo moaned that he couldn't live off his £150K PM salary yet he thinks raising the minimum wage is enough.
He thinks that a basic salary of £19760 before tax and NI is enough. The extra money with the NI increase takes that down further too.

They are deluded to the actual public they are governing.

I hear you! Nursery costs for my youngest have gone up by £1something/hour so it doesn’t even cover that.

It's better than nothing. Child benefit isn't much anyway and I don't think you can expect it to cover everything. Almost everyone is impacted by the rising fuel costs.

Personally I do think it's unfair on people who go out and work for a living and are only entitled to child benefit and are struggling just because they apparently earn enough or too much. We also have to pay for mortgages or rent, bills, food, childcare etc. Whereas many people I know who live in council houses only pay around 450 or less a month on their rent (which is more or less half for some people who have just become first time home owners) and bills etc, they do not work and get nearly every benefit, I don't understand why they do not have jobs when there are loads of jobs out there. Why are they not asked why they do not have a job if they are able to work? And why are they allowed to be given loads of benefits and help if they are more than able and capable to work? I have one friend who's excuse is that she has been bringing up her children so she was unable to work, her children are now 15 and 17 got loads of benefits and she still has not even looked for a job. I have a daughter and if I decided that I wasn't going to work because i wanted to bring my daughter up we wouldn't be able to afford our mortgage, bills etc on just one wage. Don't get me wrong I fully understand that there are some people who are unable to work because of health reasons or something else and so they are entitled to have help.

There are many reasons why someone looking from the outside in can't understand why someone who appears to be able to work can't actually work. These include but are not limited to: hidden disabilities, mental health issues, cost of childcare, lack of relevant skills or experience for the vacancies, low self confidence, additional needs, limited opportunities matching their skills in that area, can't afford the upfront costs of work e.g. clothing, transport, transport limitations linking them to available jobs e.g. an industrial estate with no direct bus or buses that don't get them there in time, struggling to communicate in interviews, not knowing where to go for help and advice, low educational attainment, illiterate or difficulties with literacy, worries about or previous experience of discrimination or bullying at work.

So whilst it may appear that some 'choose' to be on benefits, actually faced with some or many of these barriers to work would the average person really be able to overcome them on their own? The usual response to struggling is sanctions which forces people further away from asking for help.

@Candyfloss22

Personally I do think it's unfair on people who go out and work for a living and are only entitled to child benefit and are struggling just because they apparently earn enough or too much. We also have to pay for mortgages or rent, bills, food, childcare etc. Whereas many people I know who live in council houses only pay around 450 or less a month on their rent (which is more or less half for some people who have just become first time home owners) and bills etc, they do not work and get nearly every benefit, I don't understand why they do not have jobs when there are loads of jobs out there. Why are they not asked why they do not have a job if they are able to work? And why are they allowed to be given loads of benefits and help if they are more than able and capable to work? I have one friend who's excuse is that she has been bringing up her children so she was unable to work, her children are now 15 and 17 got loads of benefits and she still has not even looked for a job. I have a daughter and if I decided that I wasn't going to work because i wanted to bring my daughter up we wouldn't be able to afford our mortgage, bills etc on just one wage. Don't get me wrong I fully understand that there are some people who are unable to work because of health reasons or something else and so they are entitled to have help.

Anyone on Universal credit or job seekers allowance will be pursued relentlessly ( in some cases) by their work coaches ! Some people have to go to the job centre twice a week to prove they are looking for work and if you do not have young children then committing to 35 hours job searching a week is normal. On Universal credit once children are at school then a single parent would have to look to be earning 35 x nmw per week. The old tax credit system which some people are still on is a lot more lenient and allowed single parents to work just 16 hours a week. I'm not sure what makes you think people do not have to look for work as most do ? I think with couples then as long as the main earner earns over something ridiculous like £513, the other parent is put in the light touch group and not asked to look for work which I think is very odd and unfair considering lone parent are pushed to do more hours. I think with kids of any age it can be hard for both parents working full time but I don't understand why people can be claiming benefits and one of a couple have no work commitments ??

Child benefit is so low to begin with. We used to live in Germany, it's about 200 euros/month per child.

Exactly, in some cases, many people are constantly getting away with not working when they are able to. A friend of mine has crippling anxiety and hates leaving her house, however she wanted to work to try and get over her anxiety and not let it take over her life so she got a job and asked if it was possible to work from home which she know does.
The UK government is just all wrong in many ways.

@Candyfloss22 Some people who work don't even get child benefit

But I agree it seems some people could work and don't