To be gutted that I won't be getting tax credits for 3rd child?

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I'm just wondering what people's opinion is really.

We are trying for a 3rd child and I won't be getting any tax credits for this child as the government has changed the rules so that from next year tax credits are only paid for up to a maximum of 2 children.

I currently receive around £1k of TC for the kids and I would have received £4k for the 3rd if the government hadn't made the changes.

That would have meant an extra £250 a month. It's a lot of money for us. My DH works and I'm a SAHM. We have a £100k mortgage on a small house in a deprived area of town. We get by. We don't have much money left each month and I need to save literally for everything. I'm really really gutted. I really wanted 3 kids and this has meant that I'll be financially alot worse off now.

Of course I don't expect the government to "pay" for my children but it would have really helped, that's all. It would have eased the pressure off.

Just for the record we have never received any other benefits apart from JSA when DH was made redundant last year which was a godsend as we would have been homeless otherwise.

Do you think AiBU to feel/ think like this?

OP - if you are now saying you can afford DC3, but it'll be a struggle, then do you think you'll be able to afford 3 teenagers?

It's hard to move on from the baby/pre-school stage, but it doesn't sound like your finances are robust enough to cope with 3.

Move on, go back to work, plan new things.

It just annoys me when people think all parents do it to claim benefits, I'm probably taking it personally though due to my experience. I'm sure there's a minority that do but the majority didn't. I could be earning near on £30k a year with my education, but I fell ill and my marriage broke down. To think people honestly think I do this to claim an extra few quid a week is insulting.

Insulting is the word.

Has he got better classroom support now?

Just5minswithDacre

The allegation was that people fraudulently seek diagnoses

In order to claim any disability benefit fraudulently, you need a diagnosis. People who do this successfully convince doctors that their symptoms are real.

Saying some parents will try to get a diagnosis for money isn't the same as saying that those who are diagnosed are faking. Is it?

Which part of the word 'smear' are you struggling so hard with?

I'd love to see evidence of this incredibly specific army of medical fraudsters.

I could also say some parents refuse to accept their child may have special needs and won't apply for benefits or an ehcp or try for a diagnosis or seek any type of support. (even it would vastly benefit them) or try to struggle on without support until they reach crisis point. Or have a diagnosis, but decide not to claim non means tested benefits for various reasons.

I doubt you will disagree with that
But there are two ends to every spectrum

In order to claim any disability benefit fraudulently, you need a diagnosis. People who do this successfully convince doctors that their symptoms are real

You've never seen an autism assessment have you?

I was working as a doctor before I got ill and won a disability discrimination claim but was made unemployable in the NHS. I am due to start teacher training in September but am worried the PIP people will say there is nothing wrong with me if I can do this.

I'd love to see evidence of this incredibly specific army of medical fraudsters

There are fraudulent claims made regularly for all sorts of reasons.

DLA fraud was the lowest fraud rate for all benefits, only 0.7%. I cannot see this dropping with the introduction of PIP

There are fraudulent claims made regularly for all sorts of reasons.

You're doing it again, elodie; mixing up claims and diagnoses.

You've never seen an autism assessment have you?

We're talking about ADHD?

Just
Again, to make a claim, you need a diagnoses!

People don't just send off a claim form with nothing to back it up.

Is that a question or a statement elodie?

Lori originally made her offensive post about people seeking erroneous diagnoses of both ADHD and Autism.

As I have experience of paediatric Autism assessment & diagnosis, I have been taking particular issue with the batshit notion that it is possible to coach a child into hoodwinking a doctor into giving such a diagnosis undeservedly.

I have no experience of ADHD so I cannot comment directly on that diagnostic protocol.

I am, more broadly, sceptically about how easy it is to obtain inaccurate medical diagnoses on purpose.

I'm sure fraudulent benefit claims are slightly more common, but I think obtaining a medical diagnosis fraud entry must be extremely rare.

Tax credits were a dreadful idea. They encouraged people on low incomes to generate children they cannot afford, they created a culture of dependency, and low salaries were regarded as acceptable. Meanwhile, the housing market spun out of control, the 1% got even richer, and the cost of living rocketed. I am absolutely sure that Labour were well-intentioned with tax credits, but they messed up. The coalition should have done something urgently after the election in 2010 - implementation of the 2 child rule would've been a good start, and trying to reduce government error in respect of this ridiculously complex benefit would've helped too, just for starters.

If you want children or any other lifestyle choice, you work out your finances as to whether you can afford it. Don't expect random strangers to pick up the tab. Sorry for stating the obvious.

"Generate children" pan? Generate?!

This thread!

Just5mins
Both. Just to confirm, I am talking about the discussion surrounding ADHD diagnoses.

When did people drag Autism into it?

There hasn't been a specific discussion about ADHD diagnoses.

Obviously missed that.

When did people drag Autism into it?

Lori did. Right at the same time she dragged ADHD into it. 10.57.

Okay, didn't read the whole thread, that for some reason seems to have turned towards disability benefits. Whatever.

Here's what I think:

Government thinks they already have enough future taxpayers. The rational decision would be to not have another child.

I cannot afford even one child, and I hope I will be able to be content with never having children. I just don't see why I should put my health at risk and be poor all my life because I bring new taxpayers and workforce into the world, whose taxes will then pay for pensions for those who never had children (and probably complained about tax credits for people with children).

The original offending statement made by Lorsaidthedean was followed up with a link to a BBC article about ADHD.

Just5minswithDacre yes his new school has been wonderfully supportive and pushed for another CAMHs referral. He's still not diagnosed though, his current Paed once said "he cant have autism - he talks to me okay". . We upset quite a few people when my family paid for a private assessment for him just to get a simple report done. Worth every penny as it has made some professionals sit up and listen.

I just manage as best I can with the strategies I know help him and me and us as a family get through the day.

Didn't see Autism reference