To wonder why child benefit doesn't get the same "triple lock" (or even double lock) protection that Pensions get?

[escapegoats]

I just asked AI to calculate how much child benefit we would get if it had also had the protection of a triple lock and it would be around £230 every 4 weeks for 2 children . Currently I get £179

Surely instead of all the tinkering type policies Labour could come up with some initiatives like this?

If a band 5 nurse had had the triple lock applied their salary would be worth an additional £13000 /year now (according to AI admittedly)

You can keep saying that public sector pay is below inflation to fit your agenda but it doesn't make it true. (Right now public sector pay is increasing considerably faster than both private sector pay and inflation).

The private sector in some industries have not seen any pay increases for 5 years and no way does a civil servant work as hard unless you’re in the nhs on the front line.
Public sector workers could give up the pension and have the pay in hand and have the same pension as the private sector with additional contributions as they see fit as an alternative?

Agree with other posters that children are a choice. Also think that child benefit should be for all children regardless of what their parents do considering they’re all expected to contribute to the continuation of society.

I used to work in the private sector. I work much much harder in the public sector. And our salaries haven't kept pace.

💯this

Parents have had a really rough ride of it and have had precious little government support.

Pensions are not like other benefits. I’m on a pension. Don’t have a private pension. Rely on the state pension that my late husband paid into for 50 years through his taxes.

Because children haven’t spent decades working hard, paying their taxes, contributing to society & paying into the pension system to earn the secure retirement that is rightfully theirs?

Private sector pay has also been subject to pay freezes and below inflation increases for years and pensions are nowhere near as good

however, child benefit is not subject to triple lock because no one forces you to have children, it’s outdated as was only introduced post war to increase population and should be scrapped totally now, and as pp stated parents have other means to raise incomes .

and benefits need a complete overhaul ( and reduction )

Don’t public sector get “spine points” or equivalent rises each year purely for being in their job a year longer (ie not performance related) and then also get inflationary rises on top of that?

I’m also not sure where you’re getting your facts from as many recent pay award bodies have awarded above inflation pay rises. Eg on average public sector regular earnings grew by 6.3% in May - July 2026 vs CPIH of 3.0%.

I think many in the public sector don’t realise they have it made (or at least, they play the woe me card more than they legitimately should).

Given you’re able to as you’ve experience, why don’t you just move to the private sector if the salaries are better and workload lighter?

I would think its pretty.obvious. Pensions are an only incone for peopke who can no longer work so only have a pension to rely on. Child benefit is just subsidising someones life choice. The reality being dont have kids if you cant afford them. Getting old isnt a lifestyle choice.

Having a child is a choice. In that choice is a decision about how it will impact your life. If you decide to have a child, you decide that ensuring you have the financial means to look after that child, is something you will do for the next 18 years come what may.

Growing old is not a choice. It will happen to all of us. Even if you have the health to keep working many places won't employ you.

Because pensioners vote. And tend to vote Tory.

If people stop having kids.The pensioners are going to be really fucked

Yes, that and that they have already paid into the system. Many parents have never worked. Plus having children is a choice.
Those are the reasons, but I can see both sides. It must be very hard for some pensioners, alone and in pain, or maybe with a spouse turned abusive through dementia, and worrying about putting the heat on. Obviously others are fit and healthy with lots of friends and family-so much is about luck.
The main issue is that there are fewer and fewer jobs/houses for the youngsters of today, and I really worry about teenagers who worked hard, but can't find a job/partner/house like many people used to take for granted they'd have at 21.

And because of course the OAP is theoretically funded by NI paid over several
decades. It’s supposed to be a form of ROI.

Do you also want child benefit to be classed as taxable income, like pensions are

Because child benefit is supposed to help towards the extra cost of having a child. It's not supposed to be your entire family income like a pension.