AIBU to think that people earning £960 per week don't really need Child Benefit?

[OldGreyWiffleTest]

Well, am I?

Well my dh probably earns about that. However, why should we be told to downsize because the govt have moved the goalposts. We will of course survive without child benefit and will not make a fuss about losing it.
I just find it really annoying that people are so negative about people working hard and bettering themselves.
Plus my dh has to commute 100 miles round trip per day to attract the kind of salary he is on. That has a huge impact on our finances.

Hecubas, which NMW jobs require a suit?

I realise there are office jobs in the £20k-£50k range that require smart dress, but they aren't the ones losing the CB. I'm just saying that someone on £50k doesn't necessarily have the huge amount of disposable income that some seem to think.

I've just read the last few replies and see the cut off is £60k.

Just because your partner earns a certain amount 50k or otherwise, it doesn't mean that you will not or could not be working a national minimum wage job!

Or indeed, Agincourt, a freelancer or SME owner who, when the meagre turnover (or is it profit?) is spread out over the hours you work is actually on less than NMW!

My husband earnt 42.5k before he lost his job

By time he paid taxes, student loan, ni and a whopping £3.5k to get to work we were left with £25k to cover all outgoings. Losing child benefit makes a massive difference.

We need to live in south east as his industry is all based in London.

I'm shocked some people think 42k means ski holidays. We have t had a holiday in 4 years.

Everyone should get it regardless of earnings, but it should be capped at two kids, imho.

Heard you there, Starwisher.
Hope your DH gets a job soon.

£40k-ish is sod all in the south east, and not everyone can/wants to move up north.
What do you think will happen if there's a sudden run on the north?
Aside from gravy disappearing from chippies, house prices will just go up as competitive southerners start gazumping each other.

I got told off twice by northern estate agents for trying to outbid people in 2010....but they'd soon cotton on................

issimma, how long ago was that? Was it office based?

I was thinking how most NMW jobs are more manual so you either wear jeans and tshirt and get an overall to put over your clothes, or are given company skirts and trousers.

Thank you min.

YABU
People who earn £960 per week, are not entitled to any other form of personal allowances or benefits whilst paying a much higher rate of tax and NI contributions than the majority.
The child benefit paid to them is a symbolic recognition of their contribution to the treasury, especially as it is meant to be universal.
It also prevents feelings such as " I give and give in taxes but get nothing back" from simmering leading to unnecessary bitterness.

And, in 2010, we decided not to move up north because DPs job would have been less secure.
We were happy to be trapped like this, but trapped we were, and still are.
Your life crystallises around you and unless you want to make very radical changes, you have to keep on going as you were...all the time with things getting more expensive.

I worked for a high street bank for 6.50 an hour and had to wear a suit.

Loads and loads of office jobs you have to wear a suit on around minimum wage here

The child benefit isn't given to the one who earns that much, it's for the partner who looks after the children enabling them to work unsocial hours etc but then who often ends up without even a bus fare if the employed partner is abusive or nasty.

I have to disagree that losing 3k on salary would be the same for every one. I make it £2080 pa for 2 DC. If we lost that it would be 40% of our income but if I earned 40K that would only be a 5% drop in income, lessif earned even more. Big difference IMO.

Oh yeah, Hecuba, definitely it's a smaller drop for someone on 40k+, but that 5% might be the crucial 5% that enables both parents to work and not have to reduce hours, or stop work altogether.

Starwisher, I think the government should give some sort of tax break on commuting costs.

Presumably you could move further in and save on travel, but then you'd be hammered with an increase in housing costs?

I would happily give up CB if someone would pay me £98,000

OP - YABU.

Totempole, i think people will work from home more. Even if it's just one day a week it'll save money.
Obvs some people will need to be at the rockface five days a week.

I think Losing £1700 per year is a huge drop.

If this happens dh might as well get minimum wage job rather than keep trying to stay in his profession and we we can top up with benefits and credits. School meals would be paid for too.

We would be better off.

Ya just gotta keep going, Starwisher.

Totem yes housing would get too expensive, unless we all cram into a flat.But also we would lose 20k in moving.

So we would still be the losers.