Conservatives child benefit announcement

[idratherbedrawing]

Just heard on the today prog that cons are planning to only take away child benefit if you earn over £120k as a household after the election. This would be a big benefit to my family as we have one higher earner and one v low. Maybe it's cos I'm def not gonna vote Tory but it's actually really annoyed me tho I agree with it - shows they could have done this all along and are now finally offering it when they are languishing in the polls. For many years campaigners have argued it should be based on household income and response has generally been "that's too hard". This coalition govt policy has had a big impact on my family's disposable income since my son was born in 2012, hit us especially hard when we only had one parent working. Really sticks in the throat that they think to change it now- for me the damage is already done.

Too late for me, kids now grown but we had the not uncommon issue when there's disability that I worked very pt around DDs needs and so we lost our child benefit on a family income of £67k which didn't seem fair, plus our tax burden was higher

I don't like defending the Tories... but they did announce they were looking to change it to family income a few months ago at the last Budget. Its not come put of the blue. But it was them that caused the problem in the first place!

I totally agree, it should be a universal benefit for all children. It doesn't make any difference to us as I'm a low earner and our household income is only around £50k but I still believe it should be for all children.

Absolutely agree op. DH and I had this discussion the other day. In theory we should be financially comfortable, but after his pay rise taking him over the threshold tax went up to 40% and we lost the child benefit. Yet 2 income homes of £99k pay 20% tax and receive child benefit. We would have been better without his pay rise.

its only fair in the scheme of things and personally I would not give any child benefit to those that have more than one kid

We could only afford 3 kids - wanted 4 but decided we could not afford a 5 bedroom house at the time so it was 3 kids

you make kids, its your responsibility - not the states, or more likely, the taxpayers!!!

Because they want others to vote like them and do posts like this. They keep scrutinising everything but I bet this wouldn’t be the case with when Labour are in charged. They will get a free pass.

Absolutely agree it needs changing as the current policy is grossly unfair however, I do struggle with the thresholds - the idea that a household income of up to £120k+ still entitles you to child benefit baffles me with so many of services being cut or failing.
Honestly, those of you in this income bracket, does that extra £110/180 a month really make that much of a difference to your day to day life - if it stoped would you still be able to feed, clothe your child? Still go on holiday? Run 2 cars and go out for dinner. Because everyone I know earning this sort of figure might smart at the idea of losing it, but it wouldn't impact their children to any degree other than perhaps reduce their university pot or have less spare cash each month.

I bet it will be. If anything Labour is held to higher standards.

You can see why people are exasperated by this though can't you? The Tories created this issue and have had 10years to fix it but haven't. Are we supposed to be grateful to them now?

Much as it's nice to have more cash in your pocket my husband and I do understand why as a high earning household we don't receive child benefit. We still believe we are in a fortunate position and understand that there are other families and state run services that really need funding more than we do.

I completely disagree. I think more people should be angry about things like this. Child benefit comes from peoples earnings and our 'democratic' government unfairly distribute the peoples money..Until that is, they want to manipulate the nation with its own money to win votes.

We received it initially when it was universal and then became ineligible as DH earned over the threshold (which was 50k I think). When the kids were small and I was a SAHM or was working very part-time it would have been useful, we were far from flush. It was especially galling knowing that because of how the government implemented it, families on higher incomes were still getting it. However, we had a house, were able to move up the housing ladder, always had spare money for holidays, have always been able to fund kids activities, never had to worry about paying for food or Christmas presents, saving pots for the future. In summary, we are very fortunate, and you are correct in thinking giving child benefit back to higher income families will not make a discernible difference to their lifestyles. If the Tories thought it should be done then why haven't they done so before now when we have been in a COL crisis when everyone has had to tighten their belts?!

We are on 121k and don't run a car. We own a 2 bed flat (1 double bedroom and 1 single bedroom). It's not a lot of money in London and the SE kinda lower middle class, modest income type. I only have spare money cos I have problems ttc

Most people in london and the se who have very luxurious lives on this income generally have family help or are 10 years older and bought houses when they were cheaper.

We’re on £110k and yes it does make a difference, mainly in the nursery fees years. We’re in the south east and have high housing costs. Without nursery fees we are admittedly very comfortable but we are paying £1200 a month for one DC 4 days a week even with the tax free childcare. Then we have wraparound childcare fees for our older DC. Our Dc wouldn’t starve without it, but it does make a difference to their standard of life. I’m not bothered about getting it after nursery fees stop though.

We used to live in London but had to move out to buy more than a 1 bed shoe box so the ‘we can only afford a 2 flat flat’ is a non issue IMO as very very few people could afford a flat in a half decent part of London.

We are still in the SE so know all too well about high housing (& general living) costs and yes we breathed a massive sign of relief when our childcare cost ended but you do realise not everyone in the SE earn a six figure salary? Someone in the top 5% income bracket should not be getting child benefit (& on a similar vein, wealthy pensioners getting a winter fuel payment is another one that baffles me when we can’t find the funds for our care system or NHS!)

Considering after doing our tax returns, HMRC told us we owed them all of the year’s child benefit back…….and our DDs are 21 and 22…….(ie we didn’t get any CB) I don’t hold out a lot of hope that their systems will be able to accurately calculate this even if it is passed in the event of a Tory victory.

Much like a lot of Labours promises then…

Like the special tax rate for pensioners

What’s that? Think I missed that one?

Here you go.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ggvrp8v28o

Hardly. They’ve been out of power for 14 years, haven’t you noticed?

Yes equally as possible. Except Labour haven't been in power for the past 14 years with the opportunity to carry out any of their pledges. They will actually be making changes because they aren't going to continue running things the same way as the Tories have been.

Massively let pissed about this as my dd is nearly 17.

I'm
A min wage earner and dh is a higher earner so we have missed out. Even tho I earn peanuts.

If this gets in we have spend ten years missing out.

Still it's unlikely as Labour are bound to get in.

Blossomtoes
Oh.
Thank you. Missed that one.
Twats, that’s about as intelligent as I can muster atm.

Like the special tax rate for pensioners, it’s an unashamed bribe. I hope nobody falls for it.

Some definitely will & then still argue that inter generational inequality doesn’t exist.