or just misinformed to think that if the tories get in...

[sevenkeystomysoul]

... single, working parents, like myself, will lose benefits such as HB and tax credits?

nope, you're not wrong

get a job

die

or inherit

What makes you think that exactly?

Try reading their manifesto. I have read nothing to suggest either.

I can't see where you are getting that from either. ANd I've read the manifesto.

gaelicsheep, it was a conversation I had with a political journalist! It wasn't said overtly, just implied, but it worried me.

Getting sick and tired of these scaremongering posts now.

No. You are wrong. Some tax credits will change but only for high earners. Which is how it should be. Those who need it will still get it.

Now give up trying to hide a "vote Labour" post as an AIBU post. If you really wanted to know, ask the question in Politics.

I dont think you are misinformed either. LFC, you forgot to add ''get married'' to your list!

Although specifically these points may not be in the manefesto [I have not wasted any time reading the garbage the Torys try to write], this does not mean they will not be changing them.

I am pretty sure they will be and don't forget that MR.Cameron even makes up ''policy'' as he goes along as he did in the last TV debate .

I understand that Labour will be keeping the Tax credits but that the Torys will be cutting them and ''capping the amounts''. No doubt this will be related to CSA payments too, as this would then fit into their neat little 'supporting the fantastic two parent traditional family set up' which they keep banging on about and which is apparently the only half decent way to raise children .

As for HB, i am sure they will make it even harder to get too but housing is something I have noticed being avoided generally in any debates.

However, I cannot see Tories thinking that building more social housing would be a good idea [as Labour have been doing] because the Tories got rid of it all in the first place and thereby helped to push up rent prices, house prices, and have made it impossible for others [poorer people] to buy or get social housing. Instead of which people have to be slaves to the wealthy landlords [who in the eyes of the Tories ''deserve'' the money for apparently ''working hard''!]and live unable to afford to buy because of riddiculous rent which makes it impossible to save for a deposit.

The long and short of it is if you havn't got the cash you are not worth bothering with under Tory policy [their policy on having savings of 8k when you retire also demonstrates this clearly - they all live in a fantasy world].

I wouldn't trust them with tax credits (which they didn't bring in and never would have) I don't think you are wrong to worry about this. You'd be utterly crazed to vote tory if you are relying on tax credits imho.

Return to this point in 8 years time if they get in and see if I'm wrong!

sleepingsowell, you are sooooooooooo right.

"Although specifically these points may not be in the manefesto [I have not wasted any time reading the garbage the Torys try to write], this does not mean they will not be changing them."

I rest my case.

This isn't actually a debate about facts in any way, shape or form. It's just assumptions, guesswork and blatent made-stuff-up.

By the way sevenkeys, I must say that in a run up to an election I do not think you are being unreasonable to worry or wonder about your benefits and I think it is fine that you post on here. I am completely with you and I am pretty worried too about these things too.

I do not think you are scaremongering, I think you are being very sensible and have every right to think forward and ask.

carrotsarenottheonlyveget... it wasn't a vote Labour post, it was a genuine enquiry. I'm absolutely open to hearing that I'm wrong, I sincerely hope that I am. I haven't got too much time to spend on here so wasn't aware of the politics section, but will go there for some elucidation asap.

No ,be afraid,be very afraid !

seven ok, you're wrong

But seriously, of course you must ask questions if you're not sure. And obviously there's a better forum to ask them, but that's ok.

If I hear the phrase "for those who have done the right thing" one more time exit D (call me Dave)C's lips I think I will end up throwing something heavy at my tv and then I will be even more pissed off because my tv will be broken.

the fawcett society who questioned each party on how their policies would effect women's lives. these are the conservative party's answers to the question on benefits.

People need to be asking questions about what the assumptions behind and implications of statements like "Many women with children suffer a loss of benefits if they decide to live with their partner. This ?couple penalty? can act as a driver of family breakdown and child poverty" are for single parents. YANBU at all to ask! the tories aren't historically known to be the biggest fans of 'single mothers' are they? and the tax breaks for married people ought to be a clear indication of who they want to support most. I don't think they will target WTC for single parents first though. From their answers it looks like it'll be benefits like income support first. seems pretty unfair that married women are encouraged to choose to stay at home and look after their kids with tax breaks, but single parents are going to get their benefits (and choice) taken away. why is a married mother at home desirable but a single one at home not?

No mother is desirable at home for Labour after your child is 12. If you have been in recipt of HRP as a SAHM through your child benefit, if your youngest child is 12, then you will lose this and either make voluntary NICs to make up the contribution for your state pension, or go back to work to pay the necessary NICs that way.

Thanks newyorkshire and carrotsarenottheonlyveget..., the whole build up has passed me by a little as I've been focused on deadlines for both work and my degree, but my DD assures me that, actually, Princess Peppa rules the country, so that's OK. My poll card is currently stuck to the fridge at an accusatory angle...

As I understand it, the Conservatives plan to means test tax credits [means test means take all your income and assess] so that would obviously involve just that, so yes, I think both will be effected in some shape or form.

This is what I have read and understood.

I have also read and understood that their cuts will actually effect families who earn far less than that [despite their figure of 50k]due to the amount they want to take away from the present system to ''cure the deficit'' [regardless of childcare costs or number of children or housing costs etc.

I have also read that one particular Conservative said [according to the Guardian], that they aim to dismantle the tax credits system as they believe tax credits only mask poverty rather than solve it.

This is not my guess work, assumption or blatent made up stuff.

randomama, I totally agree with you, I absolutely hate the assumption that a single parent family isn't a proper family and, now I think about it, I absolutely hate the whole assumption that my daughter and I are somehow on a lower social strata because I chose not to be married to a useless alcoholic waster and instead to bring her up in a secure, nurturing environment. I have actually paid into the system for over 20 years, so I don't feel too grubby about claiming WTC, but I believe that any parent, male or female, who is caring for a child and working to the best of their ability, should be able to claim help from the state, regardless of what they've 'paid in'. When you think about the already over-priviledged politicians taking state money to have their duck ponds, or dove cotes (whatever it was) maintained, and their second homes (presumably where these pillars of society conveniently carry out their extra-marital activities) financed, it doesn't seem like too big an ask for single parents to be subsidised.

OP - You're wrong.

thankfully.

oh actually, ifyou earn £50k+, than yes, you will lose some tax credits. Rightly so (she says as a Tory voter)

Glad to hear it JarethTheGoblinKing, but why are people who earn 50k+ even getting tax credits ffs?

sleepingsowell etc - I think the tories might actually adminster the tax credits to help more people - they've freely admitted that anybody over £50k shoudn't get them )agree) it's labour that employ the jobsworths to 'administer' them?!

We, as are many 'middle-income' families, will no longer qualify for any tax credits.

That's fine with me... the £200 we got a year must have cost double that in admin costs. the phone calls (totalling 3 hours) would have cost money.

i think tax credits for anyone over about £38k combined is bollocks. (again, say;s the TORY voter)

I haven't read the mannyfeesto either but someone in Tesco told me that the Tories will auction off my firstborn to pay for moats.