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?

Because social care is very much needed too but not getting the support it so desperately needs.

Yeah just Rich people should have children #fuckthepoor

The children alive today are the doctors, nurses, carers etc that you might need in your old age.

Also, the drug takers, alcoholics, prisoners, shop lifters etc.

In that case, I don't want to fund your health care, or your care home, or your bins being collected.

Is it?
A family member could come out of work to care for them.
Isn’t that what you think the appropriate action is for childcare?
Why is it more needed?

• Because a functional society has people pay taxes and then the government use those taxes to make life better for all citizens (including those whose value isn't measured by how much tax they pay).
• Because a thriving economy needs people earning and spending.

Because the first three years of life are incredibly important so to invest in those years increases the chance of having we'll adjust adults who contribute financially to society.

• Because pensions are the ultimate pyramid scheme and we need people to keep having kids to pay for the people who are currently of pensionable age.

And an outlier but my personal opinion, we've allowed ourself to sleepwalk into a society controlled by greed where we have to spend the vast majority of our life working to enjoy possibly ten years where we have the time (but no longer the health or energy) to chase our actual passions and by prioritising this it gives me hope that maybe we're seeing a shift in what we as a society value.

Do you think their would be more, or less of those people if their parents could use childcare and work? Honestly what do you reckon?

If you can't afford children then yes you shouldn't have them! Easy as that! However as i've said that's not to say people's lives change and they do need support after having children, and that support should definitely be there.

@Sunshine236

Surely families should be responsible for social/elderly care by your logic?

By this logic, you should be planning to pay for your own social care as you age. And if you can't pay, you should just die?

The UK is one of the most expensive places in the world for child care so definitely a need for help to get people back to work and in turn that pays more into the system. I don't get why people begrudge ' paying for other people's kids'. Those children will be paying for people's pensions when old enough. UK is an ageing population. Also that attitude could be extended to everything eg prisons and murderers? Do I want my taxes to go towards that, of course not. But that's the way it is.
I also think the high income child benefit charge needs amended. The threshold is not relevant to today's prices and has been sat at £50k for the past 10 years.
I am interested in the amount in this budget, as I've been reading about more help for people who are on universal credit getting up to £1600 circa a month for 2 children. That seems unfair to people who are working but not getting UC. I'm not sure if this is 100% correct, just something I read quickly.

@wishihadagoodone

But that's exactly what we do do, my parents have substantial savings and an insurance plan to pay for elder care.

I took time off to care for my children (and made sacrifices to do so)

I agree people should be thinking and planning for their old age and yes i do think some families should consider looking after elderly parents if it's possible but if we're supporting people to have children/childcare then we should also be looking at more support for the elderly and carers etc too.

I agree people should consider how many children are affordable for them, but the reality is that childcare costs are unaffordable for even 1 child for swathes of people. A full time place here costs £1500 a month which is just ridiculous, and not far off the take home pay of a band 5 nurse. It's pricing out many people, and those that want children are either counting pennies or they are leaving the workforce and not through choice but through necessity. Early years settings have also been shown to have benefits to children, families and societies; by it being out of reach for many families what effect do you think this has on society?

Of course I don't think people should have 10 children just because, but surely it should be affordable in a developed country for people to have 1 or 2? I think the country would be a poorer place for more than one reason if nothing is done.

Can you afford cancer treatment if you were to need it? Can you afford the years of education you received? Can you afford the library you may use? Can you afford the cost of police services if you need them? Can you afford the roads you drive on, they don't maintain themselves? Will you need social care as you age, and if so, will you be paying the full costs yourself? Could you afford to be unemployed for more than a few months before you might need some help?

I could say I don't want to pay towards any of the costs you require, either. But it's what comes of living in a functioning society.

There are many lifestyle choices ‘funded’ by the NHS. Do you think that should also be removed too? My MIL used to do a lot of running, because of this she ended up having to have two knee replacements. Those knee replacements are going to grow up, contribute the economy, or help reduce the gender pay gap.

They have to give some incentives the population will start to decline by 2025. People are having less DC. 1 child families and no children are becoming popular choices.

*aren’t.

Another 'whats the point of children' thread by the economically ignorant again 🙄

@Sunshine236

There already is a massive amount of support for elderly care

You're missing the point though. Plenty of people do make decisions before they have children, as to how they will be cared for. One of my friends went back to work as a teacher last year, after 6 years at home with her young dc. Perhaps if more affordable childcare was on offer to them, they would have made a different choice, and she wouldn't have needed to be out of teaching for 6 years.

Surely if people on universal credit will be getting up to £1600 circa a month for two children and free childcare then why would they look to rush back to work?

Where are you getting these figures from?

"free" childcare isn't a thing. Funded hours are. It's not free.

Sorry but this just proves how little you know about UC🙈 Only working parents on UC get help with childcare