Should Labour abolish the two child benefit cap?

[changefromhr]

In two minds about this. Yes for those who find themselves on benefits after having more than two children (job loss, divorce etc) but perhaps not for those who choose to have more than two children when they have never worked (disabled families excepted).

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jul/11/uk-two-child-benefit-cap-affected-1-6-million-children-last-year-figures-show

Just look at the absolute landmarks in family planning.

We provide free, highly reliable contraception to all women - not just the pill but the coil, the injection, the implant.

We provide free, as needed morning after pills for people who have been careless or had a condom failure.

We provide free, as needed abortions up to 24 weeks, later than virtually any other country in the world. I get not everyone wants or agrees with abortion but luckily if you take the first second steps correctly, it’s very unlikely you’d get pregnant anyway

And yet still women have ‘surprise babies’, left right and centre, often with men they’ve known 5 minutes and ‘what am I entitled to as I’m not working at the moment’.

Sorry but all this ‘surprise baby’ like the stork literally drops one at your front door is a load of nonsense

Agree with this, it targets children directly and would benefit them

No, I think people who already exist should be prioritised rather than encouraging people to bring more people into the word to suffer 😔

This. What kind of society are we to allow children to go without and treat them like negative consequences / punishments for their parents circumstances rather than future members of society worth caring about and investing in. It’s absolutely appalling.

I would much prefer to see it go to carers allowance to help look after disabled children. I’m so shocked that isn’t a priority

No , but I would support every child getting free breakfast and dinner at school from nursery to finishing secondary school ,2 sets of uniforms and shoes for every child and books given to read . But I don't support giving more money to their parents

But what about the parents who choose to spend extra money meant for their children on other things? Surely their children would still be 'in poverty' even though parents are receiving extra funds? Money can be given but the choice of how that money is spent is up to the parents to make the right choice,and I'm not convinced this is always the case.

So you’d spend money on families that don’t need it just so those that do need it don’t get it? This place is bonkers sometimes.

Literally no one thinks that.

Women for the most part do not go through 9 months of pregnancy and childbirth carelessly.

Maybe the responsibility should lie with men though, since they could potentially get hundreds of women pregnant in the time it takes one woman to have one baby.

Do you mean change a dad's and mums tax codes so the money gets deducted and goes straight to the parent with the child??

No of course not I should have been more clear I'm meaning the children who need it

Yes

The ‘rape clause’ alone is enough to say it should be scrapped! Just horrendous.

I only have 2 kids and husband earns well. Why would I resent other children being lifted out of poverty?
Nothing changed or improved for my family before or after the cap, literally no impact at all. Why does it matter if deprived children are given a better start in life? Not to mention so many full-time working families are entitled to this help!

It lies with both of them equally, although if you were to argue it in isolation without the backdrop of sexism/history, you would say the blame is more at the women’s door as they have many more and more reliable and free means to prevent pregnancy than the man does.

Does paying more benefits lift children out of poverty though?

Is it cause or effect? Are people in poverty more likely to have bigger families or is the fact that someone has a bigger family more likely to mean that they are in poverty? Maybe abit of both

Absolutely agree with this. I also think circumstances as mentioned in a PP should be taken into consideration, as in a sudden break up/ divorce whereby kids are left financially vulnerable should be supported. Families who have never worked, no.

To be fair, giving all children in state schools free breakfasts and lunches would encourage better health providing the diets were good. Yes there will be exceptions to this, with kids who struggle with eating issues, but I know toddlers who eat chocolate cereals every morning, possibly by reducing benefits and inputting schemes such as this and free uniforms all children would be given a similar level of benefits, and better nutrition

Nope. I also think child benefit should be scrapped for anyone over the average UK wage and din’t get me started on free school lunches for everyone either.

When it comes to well I have to pay more tax to fund more child benefit cos they are removing the cap then why shoukd I? I go work in a job to earn money to pay for my lifestyle choices. Why should I continue to keep paying for other people's choices at a detriment to me, if I pay more tax that's less money I get to spend on my own choices like going on holidays. It's not fair that other people don't get to fund their lifestyle choices especially cos their more of their money is being taken to fund other people's choices.

Child benefit isn’t supposed to cover all the costs of having a child though

Absolutely this. We need to give state support directly to the children, not the parents. We need to provide more directly to children and "cut out" the parents. That will ensure the support goes for the benefit of the child, and not risk it being spent on other things. Your suggestions are good, i.e. meals, school uniform and shoes. I'd also extend it to school materials, especially for secondary schools, i.e. free and easy access to text books, writing materials, pens, protractors, compasses, tablets, laptops, etc., and lockers where the pupils can keep them safely within the school. Yes, it would cost, but probably not much different that spaffing more money at the parents, some of whom would spend it on themselves rather than the children. Giving all pupils the same uniform, equipment and supplies would make a massive difference to equalising education opportunities, and it goes without saying that a couple of decent meals per day would be massively beneficial.

You fund other people's choices all the time. Feeding and clothing children is an odd place to draw the line.

How does this help a family who needs the money to pay the bills though, which the children rely on for food, warmth.

I love the idea of better resources and support in school but whose job is that? State school staff do not get paid enough to do the bare minimum in education that is expected of them let alone the extra work and hours they already do.

Not sure shifting more parental responsibility to schools is really a good idea. Schools need time and money to go towards education, teaching and support staff, books and supplies, not additional responsibility for feeding and dressing children- most of which is already done with second hand uniform collections, free fruit and free school meals.

But giving free breakfasts to all children is a “nice to have” when all other services are in order rather than an essential. Sort out Sen funding and children being out of school becuase they can’t find a school to meet their needs first, that will have a much greater effect on those children than a free breakfast that they can’t access as they aren’t in school anyway

Yes. Your husband fucks off and leave you with three little kids. You have to work. You get no help with even childcare costs for the 3rd child. The child support agency are useless- your husband pays sporadic or no child support. Anything that helps mothers better their situation and that if their children is a good thing.
its VERY short sighted as a society to vilify the poor, and ultimately expensive too.
Id like to see real consequences for fathers not paying for their children too though.