So child benefit to go for higher rate taxpayers

[foxinsocks]

So says George osbourne on breakfast telly. Missed the details but sounds like it comes in from 2013!

Ive just heard on the news that DC has offered a tax break for married couples in some effort to quel the outrage caused by cutting CB. That will not help since parents earning over the threshold though so it's still unfair

DC was on the radio this morning saying that only 15 per cent of taxpayers are on the higher rate. Just want to point out that this is actually a distortion of the situation, as the remaining 85 per cent will include many many people who don't have families. I would be really interested to know what percentage of families are on the higher tax rate and therefore will be affected by this.

I would like to register my protest as a mum of two primary aged children.

We are NOT all in this together. Certain areas have been ring fenced and some people will feel far more impact than others. As well as high paid bankers bonuses, lower salaries in the City are up 12% in the last year - people working for financial institutions propped up by our hard-earned £ while cuts are made which directly impact on our financial security and our time with our children. It is utterly galling.

Also, I believe there is real bias in which areas are protected in terms of voter profile - older affluent voters who are more likely to be Conservative with ring-fenced fuel payments and travel regardless of need.

I am dismayed that there is not more focus on families who contribute so much to the economy, and whose children will in turn fund the retirements and care of an ageing population in the face of horrible house prices and soaring University fees.

Well done ladies, this thread was mentioned on the ITV news just now!!

I have made it onto ITV news!!!!!

"It's a sly, unfair and easy way to raise taxes for higher rate tax payers."

Just been quoted.

I am so worried - DH is freelance. Sometimes earning in excess of 44K, sometimes less. Doesn't get paid holiday - so often feels like he has to work all the time. We live in London, don't claim any other benefit - and have a fairly high mortgage on our home - the price you pay to live in London where his work is. He works 16 hours days regularly and I am fortunate enough to be a SAHM. If I went back to work - the childcare costs are prohibitive and we have no family within 4 hours to step in to help with emergency childcare if needed. Our household budget is tight. We don't do holidays - apart from stay with family. The CB is really useful and spent wisely - on things like children's shoes. Most of their clothes are hand-me-down or reused and recycled. I really feel as though we are being penalised for the choices that we have made being responsible, hardworking citizens. The loss of this money WILL effect us - and send us into the red. I understand we all have to pitch in in these hard times, I voted conservative but really, I think it needs to be based on a joint income, means tested or not.

Congrats, sweetkitty! Now can we get them to quote me saying Osborne is a complete arse?

Just how can it be fair to take away child benefits from a family with an income of £44,000 but still give the benefit to families with an income of up to £86,000 - it is totally crazy! I appreciate that cuts need to be made but they need to be made fairly and across the board. The Tories are once again taking food out of our children's mouths just like Maggie Thatcher the "Milk Snatcher" in the 70's.

My husband supports myself and my two children and although he earns a salary just inside the high tax bracket we are by no means well off. We have sacrificed a lot for me to stay at home and already live frugally to allow me to do so.

Whilst we will miss the money we will make further cuts to our lifestyle (ie supermarket's own range, clothes etc - holidays are a thing of the past already) to allow me to continue to stay at home - and to be honest I do agree that these cuts need to be made, but only if it is done across the board and fairly.

cinnamontoast, go the whole hog, a complete arse who does not live in the real world the rest of us do

To quote a Conservative spokesman in April... We have made a decision to rule out means testing child benefit because it is a universal benefit. Talking to people, one of the things they appreciate about child benefit that it is universal and easily understood. To start to means test it would erode it ... It reassures them about the availability of the benefit. If you start means testing it, if you start slicing away at that universality, then people are going to ask where you are going to stop.
And I was hoping that this lot would be different! What a shame!

Makes my blood boil. Depending on where you live, 44K is not necessarily a huge salary. We live in the Home Counties, DH works in London, cos that's where the kind of work he does is based. I lost my job nearly 18 mths ago, so have been a sahm by default. I'm retraining now, which comes out of our own pocket, and we have a pretty high mortgage on a 3-bed semi. The CB is a big part of my "income". For some people, it's an even bigger part. I don't agree with people being able to just put it in a savings account, but 44K seems a pretty low threshold. None of it surprises me, though.

So now that Mr. Osborne has taken away my child benefit I REALLY want to know why my childcare is taxed as if I am a profitable business!

Why, Mr. Osborne, must I pay tax on the childcare I employ just so I can go to work to give you 40% of my hard earned money, pay the rest to childcare and groceries... and THEN have you call me rich and take away my child benefit like I don't need it to pay the bloomin' rent. Yes,I said rent and not mortgage. I can't afford one of those. Why don't take all benefits awaya from anyone who is so wealthy that they can actually buy a house to live in.

And I would call myself a Tory supporter. But this has gone too far. Child Benefit is the only "perk" I get for all my hard work. If you see fit to take that too, then I really feel you should explain to me why I have to pay taxes on a expense which is incurred for the sole purpose of going to work. Yes, I mean childcare. Explain yourself, Mr. Osborne.

Surely the £44k value should be increased, and means tested against the household income.
This is unfair to stay at home parent, more and more families are going to struggle paying bills.
If you are stuck in the middle, you are unable to claim anything!!
What's the point of trying to earn a living in this country anymore - we should all go on benefits - those on benefits get everything!!!!

i understand that the country is in debt etc and it needs to be sorted out, but if the situation is that bad then maybe if they stopped donating millions of pounds to other countries such as pakistan (for the floods) then people might still get their benefit! its just a joke. they seem to care more about other countries than sorting out their own problems for the people in this country!
i dont see why people that have done well in life to get a good job that pays over 44k a year should be the ones that are penalised. what a joke!

The amount of money being raised by the cut is not great - £1bn a year. Compare with £7bn predicted to be paid in City bonuses this year. And that's bonuses - not even salaries. The day the Tories (sorry, Coalition - let's not let the LibDems off the hook) start taking more disposable income off the people at the top will be the day I believe we are 'all in this together' [vomits].

Sorry loulou, but I believe the day we stop giving money to help people like those in Pakistan will be the day this country loses all sense of humanity.

I am just shocked at how much people earn!! We earn £34k and manage perfectly well with 4 children and our mortgage is £750. What do people do with their money?!

what is every1 kickin off about i would love 2 earn £846.15 a week that is what they are sayin you need 2 earn b4 u lose it i get £264.98 a week and that includes any cb i get for once the gov has got it right stop the rich gettin richer and the poor even poorer this country is in alot of debt there r loads of ppl strugglein on whole lots less than what i get

jhendy A majority of people on benefits struggle. Not a situation I would like to be in at all.

loulou88 We live in a wealthy country - we do need to support others.

£1000 + childcare and £1800 mortgage + all the other expenses - that's what I do with my money

The people affected by the floods in Pakistan have nothing, literally nothing. I was proud that it was reported that the UK donated more than most other countries.

There are lots of other ways of reducing the deficit without taxing children and pushing more families into debt.

Hear hear, Dollshouse.

How annoying it is that the majority of you disagree with the cb cut! £44000 is a hell of a lot of money in my book and my family manage on a hell of a lot less! If somebody earning £44000 (couple or singles) can't manage to lose cb then i think they have been living beyond their means.

Not sure the government should be giving child benefit to help people with massive mortgages really!!