Do you think we should life the two child benefit cap?

[Marshmallow4545]

I believe that the majority of people think that the cap should remain and child poverty should be tackled in different ways.

Personally I would like to see children on FSMs allowed free access to after school extracurricular clubs and activities. I would also provide more poor families with access to food banks and would look to stock these with a range of healthy and nutritious options either through donation or state funding if required. I would also look to recruit volunteers to offer advice on health and diet in these places. I would provide clothing and school uniform banks with high quality, second hand clothing that kids would actually want to wear. I have some branded 'fashionable' stuff my kids have grown out of that's still in great condition that I would happily donate.

All of the above in my view is preferable to lifting the cap and would be more effective in tackling the impact that child poverty has on the child.

So AIBU that the two child cap should remain and we should look at other more direct ways to tackle child poverty?

I know that not everyone can work for Amazon, but I saw an advert for them on tv and they offer family friendly working hours around the school holidays. It is something other big companies should also do , but I bet many don’t. I’m not suggesting that everyone wants to or should work for them, but at least they are addressing child care issues which may stop a lot of people being able to work and seemed a good idea.

What people aren't realising is that the 2 child benefit cap being lifted won't help anyone who needs it (those not working. ) because the benefit cap isn't being increased it will just be deducted again. It will likely only help working parents /disabled families who don't have a benefit cap in place.

Working families are defined as a family where one parent works 16 hours at National Living Wage. That's not many hours is it and the expectation of earnings is incredibly low when you consider many of these houses will have two parents.

43% of children living in homes impacted by the cap have at least one adult or child in the home that is disabled.

I think the benefit cap won't impact that many families.

I see a lot of families affected by the benefit cap in my work. I agree that for those families, lifting the 2 child cap will just mean giving with one hand and taking with the other.

I dont think benefit reform will ‘cut it’. I think we need far far bigger reforms and measures to get at roots of problems, but that would cost a fortune. Would ultimately save a fortune though.

Financial abuse was the reason I was so angry child benefit became means tested in the first place. Firstly it was a stupid way of doing it, and secondly for some women it was the only money they had access to, even if they were married to someone who was loaded. That was years ago when I was firmly in the camp of not wanting kids. Still pissed me off.

Very few people are having lots of kids because they want to milk the system, and if they are the kids shouldn't have to suffer. They might still suffer because their parents are the shitty ones, but that could be true of better off parents who still don't want to spend money on their kids (I've read a few stories to that effect.)

My DS was the result of contraception failure. No way was I having an abortion. I've ended up as a single mum, had to apply to the council for housing and had to quit work because I couldn't find childcare in order to go back to work after maternity leave. Ironically my ex once had a moan about women like me, which is quite amusing in hindsight. He doesn't like single mums who live in council houses (housing association flat) and are on benefits (UC.) I thought I was in a stable long term relationship with someone who had said he wanted to have children with and marry me. I didn't want this for me and DS, but here we are.

How is it eugenics? 🧐

Are you saying that poor people are poor because of their genetics? 🤔

Agree - it maybe needs to be explained or researched better - there is no actual Cap on claiming Child Benefit - you can literally make a claim for it for multiple children, (but it does then depend on earnings + the benefit cap as to how much you get in overall benefits, & unless it invokes the 2 child cap for people on UC / legacy benefits (depending on year of childs birth) it won't make a difference to CB). Also, if the 3rd child is a twin / multiple birth (or born in other circumstances, such as awful coercive control, or sadly rape) then the '3rd child' Cap doesn't necessarily apply, even on UC (but again depending on earnings, with consideration given to the circumstances - you may have to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration if turned down for a 3rd child). (Unfortunately under these circumstances there is 'red tape' to go through, very personal information etc. but social workers & similar can advise). Sorry if this sounds a bit muddled, lots of info on Gov.uk. or via CAB. x
Maybe food / clothing vouchers could be a way forward??

Everything is ‘eugenics’ to those who don’t understand what it actually means.