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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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:
goddessoftheharvest · 30/07/2016 10:01

This reply has been deleted

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

elodie2000 · 30/07/2016 10:02

zeeboo You have summed this up perfectly!

callherwillow · 30/07/2016 10:03

Alfie, the planet really doesn't need any more humans.

MNHQ
IonaMumsnet · 30/07/2016 10:04

Morning folks. Just popping by with a request for some peace and love. The OP has been around a long time and we've no reason to think she isn't genuine so please give it a rest with the troll-hunting. She's asked for opinions on whether she's being unreasonable or not, so we're sure she wasn't expecting everyone to agree with her, but we do think it's possible to disagree in a pleasant and civil way. Thanks!

bunnyfuller · 30/07/2016 10:06

I work. DH works. No benefits. And not huge incomes. You're flipping lucky you get what you do! It's highly irresponsible thinking of having a child if you are automatically expecting the state to part fund it. Get off the Internet and get a job!!

cexuwaleozbu · 30/07/2016 10:09

TheDailyMailareabunchofcunts: What pisses me off is single parents HAVE to work and yet the govt are giving tax credits to married sahm

^ this. If a single parent can't be funded to be a SAHP then any couple including a SAHP should also be ineligible for government support. (Assuming there should be exceptions in both categories if they have a child with extensive additional needs)

Kenduskeag · 30/07/2016 10:10

I think it's pretty nuts you get £1k for two kids and utterly obscene you'd have gotten £4k for a third. I really am amazed at the amounts of benefits some people come on here and say they get.

No, really why would it have jumped an extra £3000 for a third child? Under the old system. What was that all about?

Chippednailvarnishing · 30/07/2016 10:11

The OP has been around a long time and we've no reason to think she isn't genuine

Well that's me thoroughly depressed. I was hoping this was a work if fiction, not an adult who is too lazy to work and expects everyone else to support her family because she won't.

fluffychicken · 30/07/2016 10:13

I know the feeling OP. I am gutted that I can't have the car that I like as it is over my budget. I think the government should give me some money so I can buy it. It would make my life easier and I really want it!

Grassgreendashhabi · 30/07/2016 10:13

Where is the OP??

Regardless of how long she has been around if genuine she would be replying

Chippednailvarnishing · 30/07/2016 10:14

Me too fluffy. Me too

flowery · 30/07/2016 10:15

"I always thought the deal was that if you choose to stay at home you have to pay for it yourself."

Yes me too. I know nothing at all about benefits but I would have assumed that for a couple to decide that one of them wouldn't work to support the family, the other partner would need to be able to finance that decision.

I did think benefits for people out of work were given on the basis that those people are either looking for work or are unable to work, not because they'd just rather not work.

EweAreHere · 30/07/2016 10:15

I'm sorry, but child benefits shouldn't be there for people to have as many children as they like on the backs of taxpayers. They aren't. YADBU. You have two children, you're getting enough help from the government so you can be a SAHM in spite of being married with a husband who is earning money, so you have no right to complain. It's actually offensive to those whose benefits have been cut and are in dire circumstances due to disability or abandonment.

If you can't afford a third child on your own, don't have one. You are lucky the government is helping with the two you already have.

TheSockGoblin · 30/07/2016 10:17

Also it's worth considering that with three children it's not just about money from Tax Credits. It's hard enough to pay for things further than the basics when you need top ups with Tax Credits etc with one or two children. let alone three.

Do you really want to have anther child who you will struggle to provide more than the very basics for?

What about hobbies, holidays, money for studying or for driving lessons or clothing and a whole host of other 'extra's? Tax Credits really don't give you the ability to do much in the way of those things even if they were avilable for a third hypothetical child.

EarthboundMisfit · 30/07/2016 10:18

I don't think YABU to be upset. It's natural to think 'what if'. I have found from my own experience that with 3 children a part time job is a necessity.

AndNowItsSeven · 30/07/2016 10:19

Davis this country does have an aging population!

Babyroobs · 30/07/2016 10:21

YABU. With 3 kids you would still get around £200 every 4 weeks in child benefit in addition to the tax credits for 2 kids !

TheSockGoblin · 30/07/2016 10:22

And yea, as a single parent who stopped at one because I can't afford more, and also a person who has always worked but unable to earn enough to take me out of the WTC bracket (nearly but not quite there yet) it does piss me off when other people can sit at home and be a SAHM using this system.

I've worked my ass off over the years to parent my child and to work and try and improve our financial situation. I've done the job of a SAHP and worked long hours in difficult jobs to provide and try and get out of the WTC trap.

Maybe I should have just got married and claimed the Tax Credits and sat at home instead.

oh and then got angry that I couldn't claim more for a third...

Biscuit
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 30/07/2016 10:23

The majority of replies here are harsh and a lot of them are just band wagon jumping to give her a kicking .

OP has expressed an opinion that isn't a popular one but does that mean a pile on has to ensue?

Fucking hell, some of you lot post twattish replies.

Of course they shouldn't have a third baby if they can't afford to provide for it.

callherwillow · 30/07/2016 10:24

I think it is popular enough actually. When the cuts were first announced there was a lot of outrage.

Doggity · 30/07/2016 10:26

The OP may have been around a long time but she's name changed in the last couple of weeks, probably to post this? That's goady, in my books.

OOAOML · 30/07/2016 10:26

When we got tax credits (lost them when the thresholds changed during the coalition) there was an extra amount during the first year of a baby's life, but at that time I think it was £545, did it go up to £2/3,000, is that how the £4,000 figure is coming in?

Chippednailvarnishing · 30/07/2016 10:28

OP has expressed an opinion that isn't a popular one but does that mean a pile on has to ensue?

In the last 12 months the Op has been near homeless due to her and her husband not working. She's financially dependent on tax credits and she wants another child, with no intention of getting a job to financially contribute.

Ask a stupid question you deserve to get told that your stupid.

KitKat1985 · 30/07/2016 10:29

I'm sorry OP but I have to join the chorus of YABVU. Me and DH are expecting a second later this year. We can only afford this by both working full-time, arranging my work hours so we only have to send DD to nursery 2 days a week (so I do a chunk of my hours at the weekend when DH is home, and compress my other working hours to two weekdays), and saving some money aside to help cover my maternity leave. It's not easy and although neither of us are what I would consider high earners (I'm a nurse, DH works in IT support) we're not entitled to any tax credits. There's no reason you couldn't get a part-time job evenings or weekends to have a bit of extra cash coming in if that's what you needed to do to have a third child.

For me, benefits should be about helping others who cannot support themselves at this time for whatever reason. What you are expecting is benefits for CHOOSING not to work (since I see no reason in your opening post why you can't work part-time to help support your family). I wouldn't expect other tax-payers to support my family when I had the ability to do this for myself.

NeedACleverNN · 30/07/2016 10:30

^^ well said Chipped

She may not like what people have said but as they say truth hurts.

If you can't afford to have a 3rd child, they should stop trying.