To ask if the child benefit cap has stopped you having more children?

[OriginalGeordie]

I am really curious to know whether the 2 child cap has affected people’s plans for a larger family? I have 3 DC but had mine before the rules changed. Pondering it earlier, I can’t honestly say whether it would put me off. DH says it would put him off.

Has anyone here avoided having more solely because of it?

Not entitled to child benefit or tax credits but it seems a bit harsh to have a two child cut off. It would almost definitely make me not have had more than two (pregnant with #3) if I depended on it though

Yes and no..

Giving birth to my two children has partially disabled me. Not enough to be registered disabled but enough that I can struggle with things such as walking long distances and sitting long distances.

Another pregnancy could worsen that. If it's still not severe enough to be registered as a disability, we would struggle financially. Especially if I can't get a job due to my pain

Nope, I couldn't physically have more after surgery a couple of years ago. The good thing is that we've never claimed CB for either (because I was too lazy with the first and it never occurred to me to bother with the second) so it wouldn't have had an impact if we'd chosen to have more.

How much do people get per child? I am amazed that the state gives money to everyone, living in the U.S.

@feelinggoodinspring
How would you afford to live if you had to rely solely on benefits in the future?

Not eligible to claim benefits, but we did stop at 3, 4 seemed to be too expensive, and as a pp oh said, emotionally expensive too.....

Well it certainly isn't on page 1 of all the reasons I don't want another one.

My reasons for stopping are not because of that. I know many people who are having more despite the cap.

At the minute, me and dp don't plan any more children (I'm a full time carer for DS and he's in security work) the tax credits cap is a factor in that. I'd love another if DD wasn't so little but right now we can't afford it so it isn't happening.
In the future if I want another child, it will be when I'm working and we have two full time wages coming in. We just can't afford another on what we have and it would greatly affect the two existing children's quality of life, so not happening.

Not affected by this as we just get child benefit - but we couldn't have afforded a third child. Husband was earning about £18/19k when we had first child and I had to go back to work. Once we had DS much of my salary went on childcare. I never considered not working and claiming tax credits - it just didn't enter into my head. I reckon we would have had about the same coming in. I'm glad now that I did carry on working & agree with the poster who commented that working people don't get a pay rise just because they have another child!

Persian It would just be something we would have to deal with and we would. I'm not sure what else I can say to that really.

We stopped at 2 DC because we couldn’t comfortably afford 3 - not on any benefits including child benefit. People need to take responsibility and cut their cloth accordingly, whatever their circumstances.

To those that say they wouldn't be relying on benefits to start with, you do realise that sometimes people's circumstances change? You may be in a good financial position when you have children then later need to claim benefits due to being made redundant, I'll health or relationship breakdown.

This is why people should either consider being able to provide for their children for the next 15-20 years not just now, and/or ensure they have some kind of employment protection insurance.

Hmm, it is definitely a consideration for us; but it's more like shifting things from a "probable no" to a "definite no". My youngest (of 2) is only 5 months though.

I would love to do the baby thing again (although felt the opposite only weeks ago!), but I had mine quite young and the biggest put off after finances is that I've planned and now quite fancy the idea of being free of young children by my 30's.

Child benefit is capped by income. You should claim it anyway because it can help get credit towards a pension
More important historically it is intended for the mother to care for the child even if the father can't/won't. It wasn't means tested.
Now in middle income family the mother has to rely on father because he will be taxed.

No

I agree with Life. My dsis had 3 and truly didn't consider the cost. My DP still have to help her out and she's 42 years old with teens.

I have 2 dc and worried about affording the second.

How much does having a third child actually equate to under past system?

Ie what do you lose out on under the new system?

I wasn't planning a third child, but if I got pregnant now I'd seriously consider abortion because of money issues, where I wouldn't have beforehand.

No. Biggest factor for me is health wise I couldn't do it. Unless I had full time help then I probably couldn't get through another pregnancy without disaster.

Second is finances yes, but not related to benefits. Related to the fact that bigger car and life long commitment to another little person would deprive existing DC of the luxuries they now have.

I find there’s always a lot of talk on this issue but startling absence of actual figures

No, being knackered running around after a 6.8yo has stopped me having more children! 😂

Highhorse if you are above the tax credit threshold then you only got an extra £13.70 for each child (and £20 or so for the first one), however if your income was lower or if you have childcare costs, then you also got more child tax credits too which can be more significant, but varies depending on your income/childcare costs. So no blanket amount exactly.

In a word, no. Our eldest 2 children are 13 and 14 and our youngest is 10 months. I recently miscarried my 4th child but we will be trying again once I’m recovered fully. Although, If we were having to pay childcare for them all then I think my stance would possibly change.

If my circumstances change and I would be in a position where I would be reliant on state top ups then we would just have to make it work with what money we have.

Highhorse I just whipped an example into the gov's tax credit calculator -

A family with 3 children, a SAHM and a partner earning £25k a year under the old system would receive £465 in tax credits every 4 weeks, and around £186 (roughly) in child benefit for all 3 kids.

Under the new system, same circumstances but 1 child born after 1st April 2017 yielded a calculation of £251 tax credits every 4 weeks, and also £13.70 or so less a week child benefit, so the £186 or so a week becomes more like £135. So it is a fair amount if you aren't a high earner.