Should childcare be paid for and other benefits given just for having a child/children?

[Sunshine236]

Does everyone think childcare should be paid for?

It's controversial but why do some people feel entitled to be monetarily supplemented because they’ve had a child?

It’s surely a lifestyle choice and people should ensure they can afford to have children?

For sure there should absolutely be a safety net for those who have had children and circumstances change seeing them need urgent support, but I’ve read people earning £100k are receiving some kind of support each month and now we're looking to provide further free childcare.

There are so many other issues such as social care, NHS funding etc that need funding which money could go towards, rather than supplementing people who are already receiving a decent salary just because they’ve had a child/children?

Since access to contraception, having kids IS a lifestyle choice - just like having Botox, buying a fancy car or going on foreign holidays.

Paying for that is not the same in my eyes as paying towards everyone getting an education, which is good for society as a whole, or having health coverage, since people don't choose to be ill.

But, Zelda, you’re the real problem, not the young. Sorry to hone in on you, but I’ve seen your posts on another thread where you said that you’re nearly 60. Your generation will be retired in another decade so surely you need younger people to provide services now?

The birth rate has declined so drastically since the 1940’s that we’re not going to be replaced anyway. We just need to pop off a bit quicker! 😂

I think it's a bit more complex than that but I do see your point and to a certain extent, agree. I think there's been a massive brain drain since Brexit and the Tories are trying to increase the immigration, just the kind they like.
This budget is a very clever one as it unites people and helps the Tories have some small chance of a win at the next election. It would be interesting to see if they end up having a boost in public opinion and having a snap election before the winter.

You're looking at it from a parent view rather than a child's view

It’s pure economics and if no one can afford to work, then no one can pay taxes into the system. These same people who cannot afford to work will expect/require benefit payments which means that they are taking far more from the public purse than they put in.

It’s also highly unlikely that a family where one person earns over £100k are getting financial support for childcare. My DH earns over £100k and we do not get child benefit, tax free childcare or the 30 free hours once DC turns 3. We will of course get 15 free hours as everyone does as it’s for the child. We obviously can completely afford our child and would never have more than we could afford as we would never get any additional support to raise our family. I do find it difficult to see how hard we’ve worked, how much we’ve sacrificed to get to where we are financially to see some families keep popping out children without thinking about the financial repercussions of their choices, but such is life. I’d rather be in my position knowing that I provide a lot to society through taxes and creating jobs in our local area, plus I can afford my child without any reliance financially on anyone else.

I don’t think the biggest issue is having children, as we need people to be born to keep society and the economy ticking, but perhaps it’s about how many families keep having more and more children that they cannot afford?

in better functioning, more civilised countries, taxes are higher which allows for better services to be in place (like lower cost childcare supporting women back in to work.) we seem to want the best of all works here (or rather politicians do) - they know raising taxes won’t win them votes, but equally the system is scunnered. There are also systemic issues with the burden of childcare still falling to women - that needs to change. After the first six months - fathers can and should be taking the option of shared paternity to make real changes in the country.

@ZeldaWillTellYourFortune The environment has been destroyed by predominantly those who are now over 50. The current generation of young people are by an large very environmentally conscious.

But I'm not a net taker, and I'm not in any way dependent. Nor do I use the health care system inordinately; I'm on no medication, only go for recommended screening.

If I need care in the future, there are billions of people on the planet, most of them young, who could provide it. We simply don't need to provide subsidies for homegrown humans.

And frankly we need to explore voluntary euthanasia. If I could make a video now legally requesting that I be peacefully put to sleep should I develop dementia, I'd do it in a nanosecond. If we were relieved of the burden of oldesters with no memory or cognition, just physical husks, the planet would be better off.

Children are, as well as being lots of things to their parents, a social good. How are people no so tired of, have not seen through this neo-liberal twaddle you are peddling?

It’s not about not paying more to help others it’s about not having enough left to pay for yourself if you don’t get any help either. If you pay 40% of your salary on tax, pay large childcare bills and have to fund everything that tax covers for other people like health etc as you suggested then there isn’t enough left to cover the everyday living costs. So what you’re working hard in probably stressful jobs to be able to fund others but not yourself. At some point something would have to give, whether that’s stopping work/ leaving. Part of the taxes you pay as a higher earner (above average salary) is to support others but it’s also to support an economy that will help you at times of need. For parents this often means help with the childcare needed for you to work during those early years of your child’s life.

If your going to hold this opinion and choose to view things black and white. Plenty of people have illness because they may smoke, eat a poor diet and are overweight some of the posters themselves probably fit the cap.

Who do you think will pay for your retirement and the future the world if people stop having kids. YOu are being very unreasonable

It’s not a lifestyle choice - not because people don’t know contraception exists, but because children aren’t just some eccentric hobby or property of their parents. Without children, who will be looking after an aging population?

Yes, of course, you had children to help me out!!!

Me. I've been putting money aside since I started working, as well as paying into 2 pension funds

There will be no staff though

I agree @ZeldaWillTellYourFortune and as the 2022 global birth rate was 2.3 and is expected to continue to decline, we should be out of this overpopulation phase at some point.

Our generations ( I’m Gen Z ) can help by popping off in a timely manner, instead of cluttering up the planet for decades!

All the money in the world won't pay for care and services if there's no staff. Give over.

I am sure you wouldn't want a carer at all for yourself once you are old and unable to do things on your own?

Indeed and, in particular with smoking, the government also benefit financially from it. But it's too difficult to prove that an illness is caused by lifestyle rather than bad luck

But old people were active in the economy. The fact that people become less ‘worthy’ when they are no longer productive again divides the civilised society from the uncivilised society. People who have blue collar jobs are not in a position to save for their old age. Even funerals are around 8k…care homes come in at around 2k a month. We should have state run elderly care facilities, as there always used to be.

And you must be super delusional to think that the money you are putting will be enough for your whole care including the money NHS will pay for your health care and state pension. Do you realise we need young people in workforce to pay taxes and keep a sustainable balanced economy?

Yes, all those immigrants who a) send money to other economies, b) also want to have children and c) could and would immediately leave if it became more convenient to do so. Immigration is great but they aren’t a reliable source of population in the long run.

Old people were active. Young people will be active. Old people were also young people once. It's all cylical. We should be funding both, as well as equipping people to be as self sufficient as possible.
P.s. the vast majority are net takers regardless...

Isn't expecting immigrants to work here and pay taxes for you coz you don't want to have children is selfish. Enabling Brain drain from developing countries is utterly selfish!