To feel annoyed about child benefit threshold?

[Mirenda]

I earn not far over the threshold to claim child benefit so am not going to put in any claim.

Maybe it seems completely unreasonable to many but given the large amount I pay in tax and NI every year, I feel annoyed that we get nothing back for this, especially with costs of absolutely everything going up.

If we could claim it, we would use it to fund baby related groceries or the heating bill in winter, both of which can be quite expensive.

I don't understand why the threshold can't be more towards 100k mark like the childcare costs threshold as once you're into six figure salaries that's a different ball game (although those people also pay hefty amounts of tax so why shouldn't they see something for it too?)

I expect to be slated for daring to question any of this as someone who earns a comfortable amount but when you've put into the system over the years, it would be nice to get more back when it's for your child.

I have a very wealthy elderly relative who still received the government's pensioner cost of living payment last year regardless of her massive income. They didn't means test that but they will set limits and thresholds for benefits for children rather than make it more universal.

This. None of this makes sense. Adjust your budget rather than whining about not having an extra £20. £20 is not an unreasonable amount to cut out of your budget at all, certainly not on a combined income of 85k!!

You can also claim the NICs and not take the money. Or take the money and fill in the self assessment form.

As others have said, if you are borderline it may be worth increasing pension payments or other pre-tax salary sacrifice options.

exactly.

more than half the country are claiming some sort of benefit which is probably why there isn’t enough to give disabled people a fair standard of living. And then you someone who has over 4k a month to live off to get child fucking benefit

you are earning 60K or over 60K, how 84 pounds per month could make so much difference to you?

I am in this situation. We are getting by, but child benefit for our 2 children would certainly help.

We don't do cash back.
Phones are old and have cracked screens.
Car is a secondhand 2016 Corsa.
No Sky.
No holiday for the past 3 years.
I don't drink.
Weekly shop is £100.

Not everyone's situation is as clear cut as you think.

There’s a difference between doing that because you’re bunking your money into something else than doing it because you have to as there’s no money and you want to claim child benefit, it’s not an endless pot of money there are people who have to live on benefits who get very little to live off

On a combined income of 85K?

It's twenty quid a week

£60k and DH is the sole earner.

I am an immigrant, so pay high visa fees every couple years to live in the UK as well as NHS surcharges. Student loan repayment is huge. Rent is high, so can't save for a deposit on a cheaper mortgage. Expensive area because that's where DH's highly skilled job exists.

Absolutely. And being very short sighted in that entitlement - failing to see that even from a selfish perspective contributing to things which help other people actually benefits them too because they then get to live in a society where they get better services, support in old age through taxes, not having to see people destitute in the street etc

If you're earning over £60k a year and you're struggling and whining about it becaise you can't afford everything you want... You're budgeting wrong. It's that simple.

Your mortgage might be high... So move.
Your pension contributions are high.. so you'll have a bigger pot when older.
Your debts need paying.. so what?

There are people, me included, that survive on a month what you earn a week. Anyone moaning they can't get by on £60k so they need an extra £80 a month... is doing things very very very wrong.

The OP has a household income of 85k - hence the answers. That said, there has to be a cut off somewhere surely?- you chose to live here so yes, you have to pay NHS surcharges as you would have to pay for healthcare in many other countries. As others have said, there isnt an endless pot of money.

She has a gross household income of 85k, she can afford it what she needs is budgeting lessons.

I agree it's not gone up in years yet the cost of stuff has and to some extent wages have a bit.
It's a lot of money to loose when you've got kids and frankly 60k is not a huge salary these days. Squeezed middle.

DH earns 80K and I earn 10k in a part time job. So combined income of £90k.

Because of child benefit and the tax system etc etc if we both earned £45k each our take home income would be higher.

We're not struggling by any means, but the system does seem unfair in many ways.

I’m in the same boat as you, just over 60k, don’t have as much disposable income as one would imagine as I pay a higher proportion of rent and bills, husbands job business has been hugely affected by covid although it still ties us to london, can’t afford to put more into a pension. Won’t have much in the way of maternity allowance because apparently haven’t paid enough NI due to tax assessment being a year behind, will be looking into paying it early. Speaking to my accountant about it now and working our options but we’re not a rich family, comfortable but we don’t have a car or our own place, our child won’t have their own nursery, house savings will be eaten up by not earning on maternity leave and still having to cover majority of expenses, will likely have to go back to work after a 3 months max to stay a float and no family so no free child care. I’m choosing to keep a positive mindset and accept that money will be tight but the £20 would have gone into an account to supplement childcare and feel miffed we can’t get it.

The child benefit policy change was a badly designed one. The thresholds were always a bit daft and I suspect it costs a lot to administer the taper between 50-60k.

Where it seems ridiculous is the loopholes and exceptions

Eg household 1 would be eligible
*dad earning 80k and putting in £30k to pension

• mum earning £60k and putting £10k into pension

household 2 - single parent on £65k putting in £5k pension.

If it was about the child, they’d have designed it differently.

This! It's so unfairly done. Every household with an income under 100k should be eligible for full child benefit. My DH earns 55k, I earn minimum wage working part time around the kids, so we have to faff around with tax returns and end up paying back most of the child benefit we receive, but a couple we know both earn 48k (so have a substantially higher annual income than us, and they get to keep all their child benefit). Anything above 50k, is a decent salary, but it really doesn't stretch far these days. Most people earning that amount, are certainly not rolling in it, and the child benefit cap needs to be re-evaluated, and be done in a fairer manner. Also know a single mother who earns 60k, works her ass off, her ex doesn't pay her a penny, and she's not eligible for any other financial help, and she receives no child benefit whatsoever. The system really screws over hard working single parents. Because yes, on paper, her salary looks great, but it's not when she's singlehandedly supporting herself and two children, plus the costs she incurs with childcare to maintain her job. If that were a two adult household earning the total equivalent (i.e 30k each) they'd get full child benefit plus other help.

what! If you are poor then £20 is more valuable to you, and a higher percentage of you income than if you are not. How is that hard to understand?

*£60k and DH is the sole earner.

I am an immigrant, so pay high visa fees every couple years to live in the UK as well as NHS surcharges. Student loan repayment is huge. Rent is high, so can't save for a deposit on a cheaper mortgage. Expensive area because that's where DH's highly skilled job exists*

This is exactly what I'm talking about - you have a household income significantly above the national average, only one of you is working, yet you still think you should get child benefit? Erm, no.

No it shouldn't be a race to the bottom, but nor should high earners be subsidised by the state, in my view. If either of you earn over 60k, you don't need it. As exemplified by those upthread saying they're putting it into DCs savings.

It doesn't sit right with me that some well off families are claiming CB to put into savings accounts at a time when more people than ever are struggling to afford basics such as heating and eating. And yes, for avoidance of doubt, I do earn more than 60k (only just) and do not claim CB.

They should scrap CB and increase Universal Credit by £80 a child a month.
those that need it most should get it, people just paying more into their pension to fidge the system and get CB shouldn't.

There is no limit on the number of children you can claim child benefit for.

It's really unfair on single parents.

Why not make child benefit for two kids universal with no means testing?

Pensioner in laws, who have a higher income than us with no mortgage get winter fuel allowance with no means testing and they are loaded.

As a family, we are paying a lot if tax but not getting much back. GP appointments are difficult to get, dentists are practically impossible, just spent £4000 on braces for DD. Child benefit reinstalled would make me feel slightly less resentful. You can tax higher earners more but they do need basic services in return.