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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

877 replies

GutenTag · 30/07/2016 07:24

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 posts:
trafalgargal · 31/07/2016 03:53

id have thought most SAHs would have worked out simple budgeting. The principle is no different whether you are budgeting for food shopping or having an extra child. If you can't afford exactly what you want you modify what you get to the level you can afford to pay for.

I really don't understand why a SAH can't find work at weekends or evenings when a partner could care for the children. (I've done the SAH as well as working Mum gig I know it isn't the impossibility some claim it to be.)

If you want more kids then if you want it badly enough you'll go out to work to make it possible.

trafalgargal · 31/07/2016 04:19

Apparently some people don't understand the difference between public services like lighting and schools .....and personal pocket money for entitled parents who CBA working. I suppose if simple concepts like that are a problem they might have issues finding a job .

Trashbox · 31/07/2016 04:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Trashbox · 31/07/2016 04:36

Or maybe I'll just tut from behind a computer screen Wink

mollie123 · 31/07/2016 05:23

Working tax credits - a good idea in principal but has encouraged lots of people working part time to maximise their income
Child tax credits - a bad idea that should always have been limited to 2 children - then there would not be the 'shame on you' calls when they are threatened
Blame nulabour for the whole mess.

Janecc · 31/07/2016 05:25

Tell you what bucking. You pay my bills for my treatment to make my life worth living and keep me out of a wheelchair and permanently bed bound. These are treatments btw I am no longer able to get on the NHS and treatments the NHS will not fund or put any substantial money into research because my illness isn't popular all because of massive cutbacks. These are treatments which give me the semi ability to look after my one and only child where many people, who cannot come up with £20k plus a year NET have been left to rot and in some cases die. If you pay these, then I'll give op the equivalent of what she's missing for her next child in tax credits. How about that? Fuck I'd be quids in and no longer worrying about getting the money together to get what I need.

No sorry the government (ie the tax payers) can't afford to provide provide provide. But you'd have my family giving more because of airy fairy pie in the sky principles.

OneArt · 31/07/2016 06:07

EllenDegenerate I was under the distinct impression that the falling birth rate was creating an economic time bomb in the UK

No, that's not correct. The birth rate in the UK is not falling - it's higher now than it was 15 years ago. See these stats or this article.

This makes the UK unusual within western Europe. It's a big issue for Germany in particular.

However, as people are living longer you are right that the population is ageing overall. But not to the extent that population projections were predicting 10 years ago, when the birth rate was falling.

Namechangingme · 31/07/2016 07:54

Tax credits from what I've seen tend to get misused.

Like my ex friend who left his wife for another woman last year. They were both in fairly good jobs, she is part time 3 days a week though. When I asked about what sort of maintenance agreement he had with his ex for his two DC his response was "oh I won't have to pay anything as tax credits will cover it now"

Or the fact that I work full time from home with my own business (not a scam my MLM) but for a bit of social interaction I do 6 hours on a Saturday in a large supermarket. I pay full rate BR tax on that job so it's hardly worth it but I enjoy it and it's a change from working in the house. I'm constantly getting requests for overtime thrown at me as there are many staff who won't work over a certain number of hours as "it's not worth it cos it'll affect my tax credits"

Hence I'm up at stupid o clock now as I've agreed to work today as they're desperate. - 6 hour contract frequently turns into 20 hours a week - Christmas run up last year saw me doing 30-35 which is not what I signed up for but then again I should learn to say no more forcefully which is a separate issue.

fuckyoucanceryoucuntingknob · 31/07/2016 08:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Namechangingme · 31/07/2016 08:05

No I think it's child tax credits in the supermarket scenario for sure as most of them want to stay under 16 hours. Not too sure re the maintainence issue as was just so disgusted by the whole thing I couldn't be bothered with the total ins and outs.

But either way, it's disgusting - signed, Disgusted DM reader.

Namechangingme · 31/07/2016 08:07

Sorry I meant will only work a maximum of 16 hours in the supermarket.... (Not awake)

Pisssssedofff · 31/07/2016 08:20

Name change- your friend is being shafted by her ex husband, she should and could be getting Maintence too as they don't affect her tax credit entitlement. Even if she saved it for the day tax credits come to an end which they do sooner than you think.

All these people living the dream on TC are just shooting themselves in the foot. Come the day they finish what skills will they have, what savings, goodwill with their employers

Namechangingme · 31/07/2016 08:24

True, I believe she is getting shafted. She's not my friend I was friends with him from school. I ended the friendship when I realised what a desperate knob he was. He tried it on with me 4 years ago (I've subsequently remarried myself) and been unhappy in his marriage for ages. Fair enough but he wouldn't leave until someone else was lined up- that's what I'm pissed off about ....Grrr.

And walking away not paying for his kids cos the government can cover it was the final straw for me. No drama just defriended and blocked on FB which was our main point of contact.

Anyway sorry to derail. Agree with all PP that OP is being completely U.

Aworldofmyown · 31/07/2016 08:27

There is not a never ending pot of money for tax credits/benefits etc.

This is exactly why this rule was brought in, to discourage people from having more children that we, as a country are already struggling to 'help' pay for.

I know plenty of people who only have one child, they can't afford anymore. They would love more.

Monetary help should be there for the people and families most in need, not those who have an itch to scratch.

Pisssssedofff · 31/07/2016 08:29

Thing is it is s very ending pot of money, none of it actually exists anyway it's just numbers on a screen so k find it quite hard to get worked up about. You never had it in the first place, the government doesn't have it and neither does the bank it's all make believe !

Aworldofmyown · 31/07/2016 08:35

bucking maybe if less people claimed for 'help' rather than necessity, there would be more money in the pot for those in desperate need.

noisyrice · 31/07/2016 08:36

Even if you worked 10 hours a week for minimum wage at Tesco, you'd be bringing in £300 every four weeks.

Pisssssedofff · 31/07/2016 08:45

Bucking they wouldn't give it to those in need of less people claimed, they'd cut their own taxes even further - hangs head against wall

Pisssssedofff · 31/07/2016 08:46

Sorry that was to Aworldofmyown*

Aworldofmyown · 31/07/2016 08:51

oh yes of course pissedoff that is absolutely what would happen. Lets just keep claiming money that we don't actually 'need' just so the government can't get their hands on it.

Lets see how that worked for us in ten years time.

bearleftmonkeyright · 31/07/2016 09:01

Many many many families who are working, have kids and are entitled to tax credits. It's for working families. When I was growing up in the seventies most women stayed at home and a man's working wage would pay the bills. This no longer applies for the vast majority of families. So millions of families claim tax credits. I can't believe how many people have written in to say they are not entitled so nobody should get them. I mean good for you but even when my two were small and I had the evening part time job and my partner was working full time we were entitled to tax credits. I couldn't find another part time job for a while after I had number three as whilst I took maternity leave the store I worked at closed down and I live in a rural area. I eventually got work at the local school. The argument that I should not have had kids I don't accept.

Pisssssedofff · 31/07/2016 09:03

Or you could say no matter what you pay in tax, none of it is heading in your direction and the politicians and their buddies at the banks do not get their salaries cut indeed most received bonus' the year that the crash happened so frankly I'd make hay whilst the sun shines, because one category getting less does not mean more for another, it just doesn't

bearleftmonkeyright · 31/07/2016 09:04

I meant to say also that I do think wages should be a living wage. Many families who are working are struggling. That's not fair. Everyones should be able to have a family shouldn't they?

Lostwithinthehills · 31/07/2016 09:38

Bear did your income from the state increase when you had your third child? I don't think anybody has said that you shouldn't have kids just that you shouldn't expect your income to rise with each child when people who are above the tax credit threshold, even by just a little, don't get a pay increase if they have another child. Plenty of posters have said that they have stuck to one or two children despite wanting more because that's all they could afford.

"Everyones should be able to have a family shouldn't they?" One or two children is a family, isn't it? If your income can't support three children you need to stop at two.

DragonsEggsAreAllMine · 31/07/2016 09:48

Janecc, thats exactly why they should be abolished. We then wouldn't have to contend with medical and school budgets being cut to the bones.

Whilst they exist people have no shame in producing children they don't intend to support. Plenty of examples to be found, not just the OP. So many bleating about their rights to have what they want without paying for it.