To question this...?

[foureleven]

I saw this on another thread and kind of hope the mum in question doesnt see this because I dont want to cause offense... just genuinely interested in peoples views..

(..treads carefully...)

I spotted this person say that she is a SAHM and her husband brings home £1000 a month. Plus they get child tax credits. Now I assume this is not 'working tax credits' as thats for childcare right? And they wont need it if she doesnt work.

It may be that its not a lot of money anyway and not worth getting one's knickers in a twist for but AIBU to wonder why a SAHM can claim benefits (other than initial maternity benefits of course)?

If you are a SAHM because your partner earns enough to cover everything thats one thing (and a debate for another thread, this is not ANOTHER SAHM Vs WOHM debate!)but why can women receive top up money to be able to stay at home with the children they cant really afford to?

Shouldnt we be responsible for bringing enough money in to the home for our children?

Genuinely ponders....

Im talking about with children, i should have made that clear

If you have one child you're only entitled to WTC up to an income threshold of around 18k I think. After that it is CTC only, UNLESS both parents work at least 16 hours a week in which case up to 80% of childcare costs are paid up to a certain income threshold. The cut off for CTC alone is around the £55k mark. I don't know the WTC thresholds if you have more than one child.

There are also a few perks that anyone can claim, regardless of income.
Such as free dental treatment during pregnancy and until your child is 1 year-old, free prescriptions and of course, free prescriptions, eye care and dental treatment for all children until they leave full-time education; however well-off their parents might be.

So it's not just those earning under £50k a year that can benefit in some way from the government

OP meant to say my DDs are also scorpios, so I know what you mean

Assuming if i worked I could get top amount of 80% towards childcare costs paid then that would surely cost the government more than paying me an extra £20 a week because i dont work...

Oh no flyingfig - not two in the same house!!

bossyboop - kind of, but youd contribute tax too so dependant on how much you earned.. it would be swings and roundabouts. Even if you earned minimum wage, the fact that you worked would mean as time went on you could progress and earn more.

Christ i can't even be bothered to read this thread but just really wanted to say that women really are womens worst enemy, since when was minding your children so devalued.

I have the most admiration for people who choose to live on a low income and go without themselves in order to bring up their children. Thank goodness for child tax credits without them i don't know what i would have done, i found myself with only OMP having returned to this country (unkowingly)pregnant and found myself not in my job long enough to get the usual mat pay. Having gone from being a high earner with big mortgage and student dh then dp.

I am now back at work full time because my dc are are at school and preschool ( ds will have free places is that considered an acceptable benefit OP).

I think i have just decided who to vote for

I'm a SAHM and DH works full time and we get CTC and a very small amount of CTC.

If I were to work, it would cost the taxpayer far more in childcare tax credits than we currently receive, and I personally feel I can look after my children much better than another provider.

I'd prefer a system where DH is fairly paid for his job (skilled manual labour) so we don't need to claim anything but that ain't gonna happen in this lifetime.

I meant a v small amount of WTC. Just noticed this thread is 7 pages long so apologies if it's all been said before.

Foureleven - I rather like to think that any lost tax revenue (that ridiculous point that I hoped no one would try to argue) is more than made up for by the contribution made to the family and society by a parent bringing up children.

And as a matter of fact, one parent earning twice the minimum wage pays one heck of a lot more tax than two parents who both earn the minimum wage. And draws a heck of a lot fewer tax credits.

Or perhaps people think that women should just be baby making machines who turn back into tax making machines, having farmed their children out to be looked after by tax paying machines?

"Or perhaps people think that women should just be baby making machines who turn back into tax making machines, having farmed their children out to be looked after by tax paying machines?"

Nope, not everyone, whatever works for you and your kids I think.

I was just pointing out that if she worked she would contribute tax so the government wouldnt be giving 80% of childcare from nothing.

Every mother couldnt work, there wouldnt be enough jobs.. only a fool would suggest ALL families must have both parents at work.

Thats another argument in itself, i didnt have a baby to only see it evenings and weekends...thats what nieces and nephews are for! However, some people have to work to make ends meet, some WANT to work to maintain a lifestyle. Its all personal choice. I have very little disposable income but thats down to my choice. If i worked I would have money to do more things with the family, holidays, days out etc but I wouldnt have time as I would be working...by not working I have the time but dont have the money. I am looking forward to the day when full time education arrives and I can go to work again but until them im enjoying bringing up my dd and consider myself to be fourtunate that I can be a sahm, we may not have the money but I cant put a price on time with DD.

Now what was the point in this thread again as im completely lost...!

if her husband is working then surely he is paying into the tax system too?

I think it is ridiclous to ask questions like this when you [op] do not know the full story!

Tax credits are there for a reason, if she [like everyone else} is claiming them {legally}then what is it to you?

Witchywoowoo.....
I read what you put on the 1st page {not read other pages}, but please do not feel bad for climing what you are entitled to.

x

Not wanting to pick but just to say bossyboop when you said "have to work to make ends meet, some WANT to work to maintain a lifestyle"

You missed that for some its not about either of those things, its about loving your career. For lots of us having a career is the only natural thing we can do. Even if I got paid a pitance I would still work because it keeps me (and therefore my children) sane!

oops sorry aconfusedmum I appreciate you giving your opinion in responce to my OP but this has moved on somewhat so id be repeating myself if I responded to you.

No offence taken foureleven i knew there would be other options out there for working but couldnt really be bothered to think as tbh this whole thread seems to be a bit 'picky' at 13 pages long! Im not even sure what the point is in it now other than the fact op obviously didnt know how the system works, tho i think thats probably been explained and re-explained a zillion times now!

If you don't work, you don't pay tax and the government gives you money, but then, if you do work, you pay tax you have to pay for childcare, and the government still gives you money, and yo are taking a job that an unemployed person who isn't paying tax and is claiming other benefits could have, thus stopping them paying tax and keeping up the unemployment rate.
Surely at the end of the day, it's all swings and roundabouts! The government would get their tax one way or the other. You should be able to make the choice of wether to work after kids or not. And if you decide not to, you should be treated equally, not looked down upon, be worse off and become a figure in the governments 'let's get parents back to work' scheme. :-)

witchy woowoo- dont feel crap at all! you get what you are entitled to. You are not living in the lap of luxury, and your Dh works. what you are doing is absolutely completely and utterly fine. and the bambozzling posts of the OP perhaps just display that she is having a bad day! Ignore ignore ignore and enjoy your time at home with your kids! have a lovley day!

I don't understand the problem here, you don't have to be a SAHM to get ctc. My dp brings home 1000 a month and i work part time and bring home about 360 per month but we still get ctc. Even if the op was working she would still be entitled to ctc.

foureleven your obviously very fortunate that you earn enough to not need ctc. I'd love to be a sahm but need my meagre income to get by.

foureleven I haven't read whole thread so won't comment specifically on the topic. I have my own opinions but I guess this example isn't a great one as it's clearly parents on a low income, but the principle of tax credit is an interesting one.

So I wanted to say that I support your right to ask these questions. It's not women attacking women. It's a debate or information gathering exercise because a person doesn't know all the facts. It's not about SAHM V WM. It's trying to understand the system as it is.

The OP was polite and totally inoffensive and I feel that you were absolutely right to ask the question if you wanted it answering, and the attacks you've had are sad, ignorant and unreasonable. Ignorant not because the writers are ignorant per se, but because they're missing the point of a person's right to ask a question and request a debate without being abused. And clearly they have no ability to make their point without attacking you, which is a shame.