Child Benefit down, Married Couples Allowance up

[MrsLadywoman]

How in the world can they justify scrapping Child Benefit and saying that upping the tax breaks for married couples will offset this?

So married couples WITHOUT children will be better off while single parent families (albeit earning £44K) will be worse off.

Not to mention unmarried couples with children of which there are many.

Does this seem fair?

Those who think that the married couple's allowance is a good idea, let me ask you something. I'm married and DH and I have one child. I assume we'd get this tax break. Let's suppose I run off with another man, leaving DH to care for the baby, and subsequently divorce DH and marry the new man. I get the tax break in the new marriage, and DH, who has done absolutely nothing wrong, is left holding the baby with no state help at all because he shouldn't have been a feckless single parent. How is that supporting traditional families?

Will this tax allowance be extended to those in civil partnerships I wonder. I am married myself, but I am very dubious that marriage promotes a better society tbh. I have many friends in stable relationships raising children brilliantly. Why should they lose out?

"Government are doing stellar job given the economic situation they inherited. Tax break to married couples is a nice touch as it sends a signal that strong family unit is important."

Yes because all the best parents are married

gramercy - I agree, there is a real demonisation of women who stay home to raise their kids. The beauty-parlour hopping ladies who lunch set are in the total minority. The men who go out and receive a wage for their work are still seen as more hard-working than their wives who put in a full day for no money.

Rollmops - I resent the implication that I am not part of a 'strong family unit' because I am not married. I know lots of people who choose not to get married and have been together for decades!

MummyOfOne - I wouldn't really call having children a 'lifestyle choice'. Makes them seem on a par with going skiing in the spring or choosing to smoke cigars... but I agree that you have to be financially responsible for your children. But remember, when child benefit was originally introduced, it wasn't just a gift. It replaced the then extant family allowance AND tax allowances that a family could claim for dependent children. Child benefit is being withdrawn from higher tax payers but the tax allowances are not going to be reinstated.

How much money do they get from those who marry? Is the average cost not some ridiculous £10k. Think of all the tax they are getting. LOL And then all the divorces - the lawyers get richer!!!

Erm, why is this in AIBU? Should it not be in News?

dont think because your married you should be better of through tax breaks BUT glad the childless peeps are gaining as there the ones that probably pay the most taxs and for a longer period of time and take the least,have said this on another thread,

and yes i have children,but think its about time the childless worker did benefit

there said it

sorry Callisto, you're probably right!