To ask about child tax credit cuts.

[yellowbird11]

Is it inevitable and if so will it affect everyone? what a massive worry to all of you who are going to be affected.My DD works 16 hours a week and has 1 child. She'd love to do more hours as her child is at school but isn't able to. Can anyone give me any idea how much she'll lose, and when? I'm so worried for her because I know without these tax credits they'll be barely able to eat and keep warm. How can these Tory bs sleep at night?

Dixie- I agree , the government really need to do more to make sure nrp's pay up.

Ah, yes!

The CSA no longer take the hefty fiver from my ex each week come April.

If I want it I have to beg him for it...

Thanks for that, Dave!!

Well for a start he's abusive, then there's the fact that the csa are as much use as a chocolate teapot.

So lets get this straight.

People should work more hours and if the hours arent there they should move to look for work (ive seen the suggestion of moving on many threads) THEN people get told they need to be responsible for the care of their elderly relatives and do a bit more (i saw this on the nurses arent angels thread.)

But how can they if you have moved to look for work.

Well haven't we been told it'll make us all work as hard as the Chinese when the tc gets cut. Apart from the MPs of course.

When Universal Credit comes in, the 16 hour rule will disappear and there will be no distinction between Income Support and Tac Credits as they will be replaced by UC.

We're just overvthe threshold for benefits. We have an 8 month old and I've just got q job that luckily fits around my partner's hours. If it weren't for this there would be no point in me working because of the cost of childcare in our area. And I did do well in school and have a masters, this doesn't matter when childcare is so high. I am lucky to have a job with such flexible hours but this means less pay. Others don't have much choice in the hours they work.

Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Ralph Lauren, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. All billionaires. All without degrees.

These cuts are all about punishing people. Fucking sadistic.

I don't think they are about punishment but rather a change in mindset and putting the responsibility back on people rather than the state.

If people choose to have a SAHP or work few hours and expect tax credits to continue so they can have money for minimum effort then of course something needs to change. Why should some work full time and claim nothing only to have others do a few hours and net a similar income? Is that really what we want our children to aspire to?

It's better they focus on childcare help, it levels the playing field and gives women more chance to retain their careers/jobs which in turn will create more equality in the workplace as there's no need to take years out or drop hours.

Why do people think they are worse off if single parents working less hours than other people who work full time? I've seen people bashed on here door not understanding what it's like to buy smart price food etc etc--I think you will find many in full time work do understand an d the tax credit system and benefits particularly for those with disabled children or disabled patents is actually quite generous. I know many people struggling who are not entitled to any of those benefits or tax credits. The same people call it 'single parent bashing' and talk of people being heartless and there but the grace of God you don't get raped/beatenvand other quite bizarre and DRAMATIC stuff used to to and justify their arguments. We understand nobody likes to lose money but please when I found out what tax credits and benefits people were entitled to I was astounded- these same people have been living a much more comfortable life that full timers and sometimes that truth hurts. Start looking for a better paid job with better hours now rather than moaning that you have to work as hard as the rest of us. You would be surprised it seems at how many people work full time with children or disabilities - I'm not- I've seen it

Please excuse iPhone autocorrect- it's either that or an idiot like me manages to get full time work!

So many horrible judgemental people out there. This world is a scary place sometimes.

Start looking for a better paid job with better hours now rather than moaning that you have to work as hard as the rest of us

not a page ago I explained my situation....I work full time, as a teacher, and have various side-lines. I am also a single parent. I will be somewhere between £2.4k and 2.7k worse off next year (depends which calculator I use).

Is it convenient for you to ignore the very real truth that real people doing the best they can are affected by these cuts in a very, very real way? How much harder is it you expect me to work like the rest of you? I am already out the house at 7:30am and back in at 5:30pm...I rarely go to bed before 11:30pm as I am marking and data crunching and other stuff I can't do during the day. Do I deserve to be worse off for doing my best by my children? Seriously, what else do you want me to do?

Gosh cannot , that sounds like a lot of tax creidts to be losing, will that be almost all your credits gone, as I can't imagine you would get a lot of tax credits on a full time teachers wage, unless you have loads of kids.

Or is most of it for chidcare costs? Are they actually cutting the childcare element, if so that seems really stupid.

the tax credit system and benefits particularly for those with disabled children or disabled patents is actually quite generous

It only seems generous because most people without disabled children have no idea how much extra it costs to care for a disabled person. Contact a Family (disabled childrens charity) says that it costs three times as much to raise a disabled child than a non-disabled child. IME as a parent carer of a disabled child, that's a huge underestimate. We have costs like increased laundry, specialist clothing/diet, extra tough furniture, higher heating costs, specialist childcare, cost of taxis, 1:1 support and therapies that any normal family wouldn't have to consider. And we can't expect it to come free from the NHS or social services, because they withhold funding as much as they can. And most disabled children remain disabled forever, so there's no chance of being able to increase hours at work while the children look after themselves once they're teens - if anything it's harder because it's impossible to find any sort of childcare for older teens, let alone those with severe disabilities.

I have 3 children and require a lot of childcare as they're all primary. Yes, it's a lot to be losing. But that's life, isn't it? Suck it up or get a better paid job according to posters here. Sigh.

We are all already doing what the rest of you cannot comprehend. As I've said repeatedly nobody likes to have to work harder but a lot of people on here when they come across people who have different views who they then label as judgemental don't see the irony in the fact that by making that very statement they are ummmm judgemental they believe to be judgemental. :)

Where : I agree with a lot of what you are saying, I see colleagues every day working minimal hours and claiming top ups whilst the rest of us work many more hours and get no top ups, but surely lone parents who are working full time ,realistically can't do more unless thay never want to see their kids ?

so again wheretheresawill what exactly do you expect me to do? where am I getting a better full-time job that pays more than teaching with the qualifications I have and in my area and where I can show people like you that I am working hard? What do you want from me?

Gosh, there's some rather nasty comments on this thread.

We are one of the families it will affect. We earn £24k between us, 2 children (both toddlers). Childcare costs already cripple us. As it stands at the minute, we have £92 a week to live on. That's for food, petrol, clothing and basically anything that isn't a bill/direct debit. So basically, not enough.

For those that say, work harder/work more hours etc. My husband works full time and long hours. I work 16 hours as we honestly cannot afford any more childcare. Our childcare already costs us £200 a month more than I earn. Obviously, once our children reach age 3, we will be in a massively better situation! I've had people say, go FT time. Ok smart arse. I'll go FT, FT nursery for 2 toddlers is £1900 here. Full time I take home £1300. Child tax credits does not make up the difference. It is literally impossible for me to actually earn more.

So before all you ' work harder' posters get on the bandwagon - you need to realise that there are working people squashed right in the middle. Not poor enough to qualify for free childcare at 2, housing benefit, income support etc, but no where near 'rich' enough to pull themselves up and out of the higher cost of living.

I guess what also makes me annoyed - they don't care that my rent is £800 a month, but if i could afford a mortgage, I'd only be paying £500. ie I'd have £300 'spare' and would be totally fine.

But yes, if I'm honest, we probably come into the category of 'shouldn't have had kids if you can't afford them' . Who knew I'd lose a very high paying career and husband would be off sick. Who knew there would be a housing crash? Situations change. We now 'survive' from week to week. No luxuries, only one payg mobile, no sky etc, certainly no haircuts/manicures/shopping trips. All clothing is purchased second hand. Most weeks I'm having a look round the house to see what I can sell so that I can afford to buy food.

If you're lucky enough to be sat in a position where these cuts won't affect you in the slightest - don't be too cocky. It's a long way down when you're sat high up on a pedestal.

I'm a single parent. Ds's dad left when I was pregnant and I've never received a penny from him. I work 30 hours a week and DS is in childcare for all of those hours. I take home £18 a day after I've paid childcare costs. How then, am I expected to pay my bills and eat on those wage? I rely on tax credits. Totally rely on them and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sometimes people have no choice. I'd rather not rely on them but that's the way it is unfortunately and I don't know how I'm going to manage when they get cut.

Needaninsight, you could always work around your partner so that you don't need childcare. Evening work is often available and lots of couples work round each other.

Circumstances do change but whilst people continue to have children whilst already claimimg benefits or know they plan to claim them we need a government strong enough to say enoughs enough.

Before the "should only the rich have children" comments come along, you don't need to be rich to cover the costs of children. Its irresponsible to bring children into the world that you don't plan to support either now or in the future.

and again cookiemonster....I am supporting my children as best as I am able. I have qualifications and I'm using them. Why do people in my position deserve to lose as much as we are going to lose?