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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Tax Credits *are* benefits?

63 replies

Bluemoonrising · 08/02/2011 10:40

One of my friends was being very derogatory about a mutual friend who gets additional benefits for her son who is seriously disabled. She was saying that 'she didn't know how she could justify receiving benefits, just to raise her children'.

Apparantly she's not on benefits as such as child benefit is different, because everyone with children can get them, and tax credits are not a benefit, it's a 'credit for tax paid'.

Ummm.... no it's not. It's a benefit.

OP posts:
StarlightPrincess · 08/02/2011 10:41

But she is talking about people whose sole income is provided by the state, isn't she?

LaurieFairyCake · 08/02/2011 10:43

I don't think its 'benefits' - it's just getting tax back you've paid (in a round about, stupid, overcomplicated fashion)

Original poster
Bluemoonrising · 08/02/2011 10:43

No, she is talking about a single mum who works three days a week and cares for her seriously disabled son (who needs 24 hour care and always will) with no help from her ex.

OP posts:
EdgarAleNPie · 08/02/2011 10:44

tax credits are a benefit. it is perfectly posible to get more than you pay in tax in them.

StarlightPrincess · 08/02/2011 10:44

Agree with you Laurie, why the hell do they have to make it all so damn complicated? Grin

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 08/02/2011 10:45

But LFC - I'm currently "on benefits" (as in not working at all) and I get child tax credits. I haven't paid any tax to get back.

WTC, and CTC are either benefits or not..........depends on who you talk to and what their agenda is Wink

StarlightPrincess · 08/02/2011 10:45

Well, she should get additional benefits if her son is disabled, I don't know why anyone would have a problem with that.

Tryharder · 08/02/2011 10:46

I'm on the fence about this one. "Most" people are currently entitled to some tax credits - even me and my income is average. A lot of people although working get most of their income from tax credits as their wages are so low. I think the tax credit system is a good one although it allows employers to continue to pay mickey mouse wages.

It's a bit mean to say someone shouldn't get support for caring for a severely disabled child though. My only beef re) benefits are people who make a lifestyle choice to stay on them.

Bramshott · 08/02/2011 10:46

YANBU. But frankly "being very derogatory about a mutual friend who gets additional benefits for her son who is seriously disabled" should tell you all you need to know about your 'friend' and her attitude.

StarlightPrincess · 08/02/2011 10:47

My only beef re) benefits are people who make a lifestyle choice to stay on them. Same here.

Sarsaparilllla · 08/02/2011 10:48

I don't think 'most' people are entitled to tax credits, I only know one person who gets them, so I think they are a kind of benefit

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 08/02/2011 10:49

actually I feel rather sorry for those that make it a "lifestyle" choice to stay on them. Of course I don't feel sorry for the fraudsters who make life on benefits look easy by working cash in hand, or claiming stuff they're not entitled to.

But if you're claiming legitimately,and declaring any other income then really - it's a REaLLY shit lifestyle choice and I can't help but feel sorry for those that think it's the best they can do.

BuzzLiteBeer · 08/02/2011 10:50

The system you have sounds insanely complicated.

borderslass · 08/02/2011 10:50

She sounds just like my dad when DS was awarded DLA his attitude was the same, funny that he 'was invalided out of RAF and couldn't work so lived on benefits' he could of worked but refused to do any work but his trade which he wasn't able to.

MoonUnitAlpha · 08/02/2011 10:54

Sasparilla - doesn't pretty much everyone with a child get child tax credits? I thought you had to have a household income over £50k to not get anything?

fedupofnamechanging · 08/02/2011 10:54

If you pay more tax than you get back, then they are a tax relief.

This is the problem when names are changed by the government to make something sound like a benefit when it isn't really. Hence family Allowance becoming Child Benefit. It creates a subconscious impression that people in receipt of these things are somehow sponging of the state, when in reality most people are paying more in tax than they get back.

It is a recognition that raising children is expensive and valuable to society as a whole and that children have a right to not be raised in extreme poverty.

Those people receiving more than they pay in are getting it because raising their DC is just as expensive and valuable to society as those of higher tax payers.

borderslass · 08/02/2011 10:56

Getting tax credits is not something you go around telling everyone its nobodies business so its likely more people than you realise get them.

Litchick · 08/02/2011 10:56

They are benefits.

But there's nothing wrong with that if you are entitled to them.

LaWeaselMys · 08/02/2011 10:56

Most people are entitled to tax credits. It is approximately the top 10% of families that aren't.

So yes, she is being ridiculous.

Original poster
Bluemoonrising · 08/02/2011 10:57

I'm not sure where her attitude has come from, tbh. She has been incredibly supportive of our friend since my friends son was born, and helps out with childcare etc.

This was a bit out of the blue. She has a new boyfriend (who I haven't been able to take to), and I am wondering if this new attitude stems there, or if it is jealousy as her finances are very badly managed whereas my friend with the disabled son is very careful with her money, and has told us that she is going to centre parcs this year - their first holiday since her son was born.

Tax credits were born from family credit, which were preceded by family income support. The only connection tax credits have to tax imo are a) the name and b) they are administered by HMRC. They have no correlation to tax paid (which is a good thing, otherwise the richest families would receive the most).

OP posts:
fedupofnamechanging · 08/02/2011 11:01

The solution to this idea that people are 'living off benefits' would be for employers to have to pay proper wages that people can live on without needing to be topped up.

People looking after severely disabled children are saving the state shit loads of money, so should be receiving a decent carers allowance, to reflect this. No one should have to live in poverty just because they are looking after their disabled child. People who resent that and whinge about benefits are ignorant.

poppyknot · 08/02/2011 11:06

Time was when 'benefit' was a positive word.......

FindingStuffToChuckOut · 08/02/2011 11:08

I've had someone (a mother in fact) on MN sneer at me recently for having to rely on the "benefit" of Statutory Maternity Pay for six months later on this year!!! The cheek of it!

GypsyMoth · 08/02/2011 11:10

Yes it's benefits

Most of the benefit bashers on here get tax credits and have a working partner......... But No NO NO they aren't on BENEFITS themselves lol!!!!

ivykaty44 · 08/02/2011 11:16

Yes most people see it as a different if they get money handed to them for being poor and working form other people being poor and not working

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